How does driving contribute to climate change?

The Role of Driving in Reducing GHG Emissions and Oil Consumption (45 page pdf, EMBARQ and the World Resources Institute, Jul. 6, 2011)

The focus of today’s review is a report on how reductions in vehicle miles travelled (VMT), much more efficient automobile technology (double the mileage per gallon) and actions to reduce driving by walking and cycling and traffic demand measures, such as road pricing, could reduce CO2 emissions from driving by as much as 80% over the next 40 years.



Key Quotes:

“Transportation represented 71 percent of oil consumption and 31 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States in 2008”

“the United States must achieve significant improvements in vehicle technology and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita (compared to business as usual projections for 2050, which anticipate a 40 percent increase in VMT per capita over 2010 levels) to meet these targets”

Recommendations:

Department of Transportation:

1. “Encourage states and regions to boost usage of existing funding flexibility ..to reduce VMT, GHG emissions, and oil use;
2. Provide technical support for standardized evaluation of programs and projects; and
3. Simplify public access to DOT’s project spending databases.."

Congress:

1. Establish national goals for transportation .. and track progress toward these goals…
2. Increase direct funding for programs and strategies that reduce GHG emissions, VMT, and oil consumption..”

“for a typical one-school program, an increase in 100 students walking or biking to school reduced 32,976 pounds of CO2 emissions and saved 1,674 gallons of gasoline per year”

“variable tolling in 2001 resulted in 7.4 percent of auto users modifying their trips, including 20 percent of the “modifying” group shifting to transit”

“transportation emissions are laid out in CLEAN-TEA:

1. Efforts to increase public transportation ridership;
2. Efforts to increase walking, biking, and other nonmotorized transportation;
3. Implementation of zoning and other land use regulations..
4. Travel demand management programs (including carpool, vanpool, or car-share projects); transportation pricing measures; parking policies; and programs to promote telecommuting, flexible work schedules, and satellite work centers;
5. Highway and transit operational improvements..
6. Intercity passenger rail improvements;
7. High-speed rail improvements;
8. Intercity bus improvements;
9. Freight rail improvements;
10. Use of materials or equipment associated with ..transportation projects that reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; and
11. Public facilities for supplying electricity to electric or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles

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