White Paper offers no quick fix to cut transport's carbon footprint

The Energy White Paper was published by the UK Government in May 2007 as a result of concern about the long term security of the UK's energy supplies and the belief that man-made carbon emissions are affecting climate. The White Paper forecasts that CO2 emissions from domestic transport will continue to rise until about 2015 followed by a fall due to improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency. The headline figure for reductions from the transport sector is 2-5.5MtC a year by 2020. There are three categories of transport policies: carbon pricing (tax, trading or regulation); technology; and behavioural change measures. The UK's renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will incentivise the use of biofuels. The EU has announced plans to include aviation in the Emissions Trading Scheme. Technology (hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, biofuels, hydrogen-fuelled vehicles) is expected to be the key mechanism in achieving reductions in transport's CO2 emissions. The roles of rail and aviation in reducing emissions are considered. The UK is pressing the European Commission to investigate including road transport in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in a way that would increase fuel prices for road users. Under this approach fuel producers would need to hold EU ETS CO2 allowances that would cover the total amount of CO2 emissions that result from the fuel that they sell. The ways that vehicle manufacturers and motorists and hauliers could be included in the ETS are considered.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09626220
• Authors:
  • FORSTER, A
• Publication Date: 2007-6-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 11-5
• Serial:
  • LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY
  • Issue Number: 470
  • Publisher: LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY
  • ISSN: 0962-6220

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Energy; Federal government; Policy; Pollutants
• Identifier Terms: European Union
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 2442: Emission; 213: Energy; 8303: EU; 183: Government (national); 173: Policy; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Policy; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076136
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 18 2007 9:59AM