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Transportation and Climate Change

The transportation sector accounts for 1/3rd of all green house gasses, according to Senator Inouye, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation. The hearing ‘Climate Change Impacts on the Transportation Sector’, held on June 24th, assessed both how climate change will affect transportation and how transportation affects climate change. Major points of discussion included the need to increase efficiency, develop alternative fuels, expand mass transit, and anticipate infrastructure degradation.

Thomas Barrett, deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation, discussed the importance of fuel efficiency and alternative fuels. He also felt that changes to reduce congestion on roadways can have a significant effect on green house gas emissions, as highway congestion wastes an estimated two billion gallons of gas per year. Barrett also reported that, due to market pressures, the aviation industry has found ways to decrease their fuel consumption in recent years despite increased freight, and pointed to this as a model for the rest of the transportation sector.

Dr. Thomas Peterson of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed concern regarding climate change’s effects on the transportation sector. Effects include infrastructure damaged from increased flooding as a result of storms and rising seas, and problems such as rail tracks buckling and pavement cracking during days of extreme heat and cold. NOAA hopes these concerns and others will be considered when building future transportation systems and updating older ones. We must consider what material will be best in the changing climate, so as to ensure durability and safety for the future.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) ridiculed the low CAFE (fuel economy) standards of American automobiles, arguing that their current goal of 35 mpg by 2020 falls far behind other countries’ more immediate goals. Barrett responded with concerns about costs and the availability of technology. He generally argued that we should let the market run its course. Kerry countered that the technology is available, and that according to NASA scientist James Hansen we have 10 years at most to reduce green house gas emissions to less than 450 ppm. Letting the market run its course may take too long.

David Friedman of the Union of Concerned Scientists agreed with others present that cap and trade will not be sufficient in the transportation sector, as there are currently too few alternatives to choose. Developments must be made in fields like biofuels, hydrogen, and plug-in hybrids. He does not feel that the market alone will provide these fuels soon enough. Some senators expressed concern regarding how to select one of the many different alternative fuels discussed. To this, Friedman suggested a ‘performance-based’ policy of fuel incentives that rewards and encourages alternatives based on how well they work. This keeps the field open to new and existing alternative fuels.

The senators agreed that there is no ‘Silver Bullet’ and that a portfolio of solutions is required. Unfortunately, some of these solutions will require significant funds to be implemented, and will thus face resistance. However, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee seemed to understand the reality of the climate change challenge and showed a desire to respond responsibly.

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Blog Posts

A VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF CONFUCIOUS HAS ME THINKING ABOUT GREEN BURIALS

The Grave Of Confucious I was very impressed by the 2500 year old grave of Confucious in the small town of Qufu, Shandong Province. I was half expecting yet another great mausoleum or souvenir selling temple to be marking the spot, but the grave was nothing more than a large mound of grass in the middle of an enormous forested graveyard of Confucious family members.… Continue

Posted by Paul Coleman on July 5th, 2008 at 11:30am — No Comments (Add)

Environmentalism in the Land of the Thunder Dragon

The small country of Bhutan is the feature country at this year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall and "The Land of the Thunder Dragon" takes the environment very seriously. During one of the panel discussions at Bhutan’s Narrative Stage, experts and Bhutanese conservationists discussed the steps they have taken to conserve Bhutan’s environment and the troubling consequences the country will face with respect to Global Warming. Bhutan is bounded by China and India - two of the… Continue

Posted by Earth Day Network on July 2nd, 2008 at 2:28pm — No Comments (Add)

EVERYDAY EARTH PEOPLE

100 Happy Volunteers After Planting Trees In The Deserts Of Inner Mongolia Photo By: Daisuke Hirano 2008 I'm beginning a new blog series on some wonderful people I've met doing great things to make the world a better place. Their backgrounds, ages, professions and nationalities are diverse, some have plenty of money, others barely none, but their love of the earth and humanity is… Continue

Posted by Paul Coleman on July 2nd, 2008 at 10:30am — No Comments (Add)

Dr. James Hansen: The Climate Threat to the Planet

“We have to figure out how to live without fossil fuels someday - Why not now?” said Dr. James Hansen in his briefing of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on June 23, 2008. James Hansen is the director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, a laboratory of the Goddard Space Flight Center and a unit of the Columbia University Earth Institute. This appearance commemorated the 20th anniversary of his first congressional testimony on global warming and un… Continue

Posted by Earth Day Network on June 30th, 2008 at 5:00pm — No Comments (Add)

 
 

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