A better world is possible - Global Commons Institute

Copyright Bruce Nixon 2010. All rights reserved. This electronic copy is provided free for personal, non-commercial use only.
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2020 from 2006 levels. It argues that current government policies, including intensive improvements to
vehicle efficiency, will achieve less than a 5% reduction in CO 2 on 1990 levels by 2020. The Campaign’s
proposals, in line with overall aims to achieve 80% reduction in emissions by 2050, are:
Cut overall CO2 emissions from transport by 26% by 2020 on 2006 figures.
Cut passenger travel emissions by 32%.
Cut freight emissions by up to 19%.
Make cars 25% more fuel efficient.
Cut car traffic by 15%; and
Cut domestic aviation emissions by 30%.
It recommends policies ranging from increasing walking to reducing aviation and deep sea shipping. They
vary in impact but are mutually supportive and need to be implemented as a package.
Vehicle technology and low-carbon fuels UK have about 27 million private cars, with a refresh rate of about
15 years. Policies to encourage technological change in the vehicle fleet include:
First year charges on cars related to their level of emissions, to increase annually to 2020 and
applied per gram above an efficiency reference level, at least 130 in 2012, 100 in 2015 and 90 by
2020.
Efficiency reference level to rise annually as technology becomes available so the charge on less
efficient vehicles rises in real terms.
Air conditioning and other power consuming devices to be included in carbon emission g/km (grams
per kilogram) calculations.
Vans brought within car standards scheme.
Fuel duty to rise in line with predicted improvements in efficiency to avoid rebound effect.
Vehicle Excise Duty increases to be slowed down as the least effective means of changing purchasing
behaviour.
Reduce work-related car travel. Work-related travel accounts for 37% of total CO 2 emissions from
passenger transport: 24% from commuting and 13% from travel in the course of business. People are
taking long journeys by themselves: 91% of car commuting and 87% of business car trips.
Tax changes are recommended for business use of private cars to reward low-carbon vehicles and
reduce incentives for high business mileage; active traffic management systems to make longer road
journeys more efficient; tax breaks to promote cash back and green bonus schemes that reward
people for not driving to work; government serving as an example for supporting low-carbon
commuting and business travel.
Similar actions are needed to reduce shopping related travel.
Reduce journey lengths and transfer short car journeys to walking and cycling. Between 1985 and 2005
average annual mileage per head within UK increased by 35%.This is the result of the interaction of transport
policies with land use planning. Car journeys of less than five miles account for 20% of passenger transport
CO2. Shifting some of these to walking and cycling will help cut congestion and obesity and improve health
too.
Land use policy is a key component. The market for land, and decisions about how it is used, depend
crucially on transport. This is a two way relationship—transport demand arises from land use and land use
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