Post by wirewiper on Sept 30, 2021 9:31:22 GMT
Greener Transport Solutions (GTS) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the decarbonisation of transport. They have issued the following statement today on their website:
greenertransportsolutions.com/insight/a-manifesto-for-decarbonising-transport/
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"We are a group of leading professionals in the transport and planning sectors who together support the UK Government’s commitment to decarbonising our economy while sharing a deep concern that much greater urgency and action is needed to address the challenge society faces. Our focus is upon what we believe the Government must do if we are to decarbonise transport at the rate necessary.
"We start by acknowledging the scale of the challenge. Climate scientists are shocked by the accelerating rate of changes. The August 2021 IPCC report has been described as a ‘code red for humanity’. We are seeing severe weather impacts in areas not previously thought of as high risk.
"Special responsibility rests on UK shoulders. As hosts of the COP26 UN Climate Summit we are well positioned to demonstrate strong policies and to show leadership. Transport is the biggest emitting sector of the UK economy and the fastest growing source of global greenhouse gas emissions. We must have a credible delivery plan for decarbonising our transport system.
"The July 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan is a welcome first step. We support the target of phasing out sales of all new polluting road vehicles by 2040 and the Plan’s vision for a cleaner, greener Britain. However, urgent attention must now be given to reducing the volume of traffic on our roads.
"We were invited to advise Greener Transport Solutions (GTS) in the development of A Manifesto for Decarbonising Transport. GTS has conducted extensive research which concludes that achieving our carbon reduction targets will require [1]:
- Traffic reduction in addition to the roll out of zero emissions vehicles;
- A complete reform of motoring taxation as we transition from petrol and diesel vehicles; and
- A credible national programme for delivering behaviour change.
"This cannot afford to wait. 60% of the decarbonisation task for transport needs to be done in the next decade if we are to be on track for the net zero target.
"The actions we take in this decade are arguably the most important in human history. We must act quickly and decisively. We urge the Government to complement the roll out of clean vehicle technologies with a national focus on behaviour change."
[1] my note - this almost certainly involves some form of road pricing, so as not to penalise those who have few or no alternatives (e.g. people in rural areas) but to incentivise those who do have alternatives to switch to those modes.
greenertransportsolutions.com/insight/a-manifesto-for-decarbonising-transport/
======================================================
"We are a group of leading professionals in the transport and planning sectors who together support the UK Government’s commitment to decarbonising our economy while sharing a deep concern that much greater urgency and action is needed to address the challenge society faces. Our focus is upon what we believe the Government must do if we are to decarbonise transport at the rate necessary.
"We start by acknowledging the scale of the challenge. Climate scientists are shocked by the accelerating rate of changes. The August 2021 IPCC report has been described as a ‘code red for humanity’. We are seeing severe weather impacts in areas not previously thought of as high risk.
"Special responsibility rests on UK shoulders. As hosts of the COP26 UN Climate Summit we are well positioned to demonstrate strong policies and to show leadership. Transport is the biggest emitting sector of the UK economy and the fastest growing source of global greenhouse gas emissions. We must have a credible delivery plan for decarbonising our transport system.
"The July 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan is a welcome first step. We support the target of phasing out sales of all new polluting road vehicles by 2040 and the Plan’s vision for a cleaner, greener Britain. However, urgent attention must now be given to reducing the volume of traffic on our roads.
"We were invited to advise Greener Transport Solutions (GTS) in the development of A Manifesto for Decarbonising Transport. GTS has conducted extensive research which concludes that achieving our carbon reduction targets will require [1]:
- Traffic reduction in addition to the roll out of zero emissions vehicles;
- A complete reform of motoring taxation as we transition from petrol and diesel vehicles; and
- A credible national programme for delivering behaviour change.
"This cannot afford to wait. 60% of the decarbonisation task for transport needs to be done in the next decade if we are to be on track for the net zero target.
"The actions we take in this decade are arguably the most important in human history. We must act quickly and decisively. We urge the Government to complement the roll out of clean vehicle technologies with a national focus on behaviour change."
[1] my note - this almost certainly involves some form of road pricing, so as not to penalise those who have few or no alternatives (e.g. people in rural areas) but to incentivise those who do have alternatives to switch to those modes.
