ICCT programs cover ships, cars, trucks, buses, aircraft and the fuels they consume, as well as comprehensive issues such as advanced technology and long-term greenhouse gas reduction scenarios.
There are already a billion cars on the planet. In 20 years that number is expected to double. For a passenger vehicle fleet of that magnitude to be sustainable, cars must have a much smaller environmental impact. Big strides have been made in reducing emissions of conventional pollutants, but much more can be done to curb the contribution of passenger vehicles to global warming.
Nations with rapidly growing heavy-duty fleets can dramatically improve public health by adopting new technologies that cut the most harmful emissions of diesel-powered vehicles almost to zero — but only if they also introduce the low-sulfur fuels these innovations require. And all countries can address climate change by adopting standards for heavy-duty carbon dioxide emissions.
Ships carry the vast majority of raw materials and manufactured goods exchanged by the global economy. Yet partly because of its international nature, until recently shipping’s impact on air quality and climate change has largely gone unregulated. With investments in fuel quality and pollution control technology, the sector’s environmental impact can be reduced.
Since 1950, when more people still crossed the Atlantic by sea than by air, the annual distance flown by passengers has grown 150-fold. As this growth continues the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by commercial aircraft is projected to quadruple by 2050, threatening to erase gains in other transportation sectors.
Petroleum has been the primary source of transportation fuels for a century. But with the realization that burning oil and other fossil fuels contributes to global warming, there is a need to move toward energy sources that produce less carbon dioxide or none at all. There are also opportunities to improve public health by eliminating toxic additives from fuels and reducing their sulfur content.
Addressing the impact of transportation on public health requires understanding both the physiological effects of air pollutants and peoples’ exposure to them in cities around the world. Some hazardous vehicle emissions also contribute to global warming, making efforts to reduce them doubly beneficial.
Because transportation accounts for 23 percent of the greenhouse gases produced through energy consumption, finding more efficient ways of moving people and goods is critical to preventing destructive climate change. The Climate Roadmap is developing a plan to achieve an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector by 2050.
The recent popularity of hybrid vehicles is an encouraging development. But more dramatic technological advances are needed to keep the world’s growing vehicle fleet from overwhelming efficiency improvements. The Advanced Technologies Program promotes innovation and gives policymakers information about the latest technologies and their costs.