GREEN NEWS * USA - Emission targets unreachable without mileage reduction
New figures suggest targets may be unobtainable
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -The Green Car Website (UK), by Paul Lucas -October 18, 2009: -- California has been the epicentre for the fight against global warming state side, having set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 – and to 80 per cent below these levels by 2050... However, now new figures suggest these targets may be unobtainable... The California Air Resources Board estimates that sufficient reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles can be achieved through improvements in vehicle technology and the low carbon fuel standard – however, this will not be enough to achieve 1990 levels if current trends in vehicle miles travelled continue... Dr Caroline Rodier of the UC Davis’s Institute of Transportation Studies reviewed international modelling literature on land use, transit and auto pricing policies and suggested a range of both vehicle miles travelled and greenhouse gas emission reductions that might be achieved if such policies were implemented... Over a 10-year time horizon she believes that the following policies can lead to the reductions outlined:
- Employee parking pricing may result in a one per cent reduction in vehicle miles travelled;
- Pay-as-you-drive insurance can bring reductions from four-five per cent.
- Cordon pricing schemes could reduce vehicle miles travelled by two-three per cent.
- Increased transit investment may reduce miles travelled by 0.1-one per cent.
- Land-use only scenarios may cut vehicle miles travelled by up to two per cent.
- Land use and transit scenarios may reduce vehicle miles travelled by two-six per cent over the 10-year time horizon.
- Combined land use, transit and pricing policy measures could bring significantly greater reductions.
In all she notes that even improved calibrated travel models are likely to underestimate vehicle miles reductions from land use, transit and pricing policies... (Photo from mtsnac.org: CALMITSAC MTS Infrastructure)
* USA - FuelClinic, a driver-improvement system
Driver improvement start-up FuelClinic, finished second in the "Congestion Challenge" from a starting field of 116 companies spanning 20 countries
Orlando,FL,USA -Fuel Clinic -Oct. 15, 2009: -- FuelClinic is a driver-improvement system that helps create safer, smarter, more efficient drivers. In consumer applications this system helps families save money on fuel, reduce CO2 emissions, find deficiencies in inexperienced or young drivers, and helps motorists become generally safer and more professional drivers... In fleet applications the system helps business owners and fleet managers train and maintain better driving habits with employees, reduce fuel expenses, track and control CO2 emissions, improve and reinforce safety initiatives, and help to decrease accident rates, injuries, and insurance expenses... There is a working prototype of the first-generation system online where motorists have on-average improved their fuel efficiency 6% and have collectively saved over $34,000 while cutting more than 227,000 lbs of CO2 emissions... (Video from YouTube, by FuelClini -31 July 2009: -- Learn more about eco-driving and how you can take control of your oil habit. Use FuelClinic.com to help monitor and manage your own oil consumption, find proven methods for improving your own efficiency in the car you already own, and join the thousands of people who have decided to do more with less. Save money, reduce foreign oil dependence, cut emissions - and improve the safety of yourself and the other drivers on the road. Visit us at FuelClinic.com to learn more)
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