UKERC publishes in-depth review of policies to cut road transport carbon
Wed 22 April 2009
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The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) has launched a new report which aims to identify the most effective policies for cutting carbon emissions from surface passenger transport. The report's authors say that the Government must do much more than promote electric cars if it wants rapid and deep cuts in transport emissions.
The extensive report entitled "What policies are effective at reducing carbon emissions from surface passenger transport" which was launched on 21 April, reviews interventions to encourage behavioural and technological change to cut road transport carbon emissions.
While the report welcomes moves to promote greener cars, it also stresses the importance of policies to reduce car use and the improved utilisation of cars through car sharing and car clubs.
The report reviews over 500 international studies. It finds that policy can play a big role in helping drivers leave their car at home and that Britain lags behind the leading countries in use of cleaner modes of travel.
It says policies could have a significant impact through reducing the need to travel and promoting walking, cycling, public transport and efficient driving, as well as encouraging low carbon cars.
Launching the report, Dr Jillian Anable, head of transport research at UKERC, commented: "Without managing travel patterns themselves, it is very difficult to meet the technological challenges, including how the electricity (for electric vehicles) is generated, at the scale and pace required. Without effective policies to manage demand for travel, emission cuts through vehicle technology will be made much more difficult and may come too late. This report looks at what can be done to harness the large untapped potential to help people to travel in more efficient ways."
The report's lead author, Dr Robert Gross warned against excessive reliance on single policies: "Subsidies for low carbon cars are likely to be effective, because the evidence is that people tend to discount long run costs.
"There is no point forcing car makers to produce low carbon options if no-one will buy them, so it is right that ambitious regulation is combined with grants and other incentives – including taxes on gas guzzlers - to deliver a transformation of the car fleet. But there is a bigger picture. If car travel becomes cheaper overall and car dependence grows then all our efforts to reduce emissions get harder and may take too long."
The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), is a focal point for UK research on sustainable energy. In related news, UKERC has released a new report addressing two of the Government's energy policy goals: delivering reliable energy to consumers while meeting its legal commitment to reduce C02 emissions by 80% by 2050 entitled "Secure, Carbon-Free and Electric? The UK's Energy System in 2050". See adjacent link to the Press Statement.
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