By 2050, automobile travel would need to be cut (slashed, reduced, curtailed) by 80 percent. This is the finding in an upcoming paper to be published in the scholarly journal, Energy Policy. The authors claim that the drastic reduction will be needed to meet the emissions levels recommended by economist Ross Garnaut in an interim report for the government of Australia. Those levels are the target in order to avoid the worst of what upcoming climate change has to offer the vulnerable land down under, according to an article appearing on news.com.au.
As if to rub salt in the wound, Associate Professor Damon Honnery, of Monash University said, "The car is doomed. People are going to have to fundamentally change the way they think about travel and make much more use of non-motorised travel such as cycling and walking." Cycling and walking? Ah, but what of hybrids, electric cars and ethanol and such? "Our calculations show that not even the best combination of fuel efficiency, hybrid and electric cars, alternative fuels and car pooling could provide the reductions needed to meet the 2050 targets for avoiding dangerous climatic change," he continued, dashing all hopes of avoiding sacrifice.
Not to be outdone, co-author Dr. Patrick Moriarty put the kibosh on air travel as well. "An overseas trip might become a once-in-a-lifetime experience rather than an annual event." Wow. Remind me not to invite these guys to my next party.
So do they offer up any transportation alternatives besides walking and cycling? You bet. Public transport. Guess we better get working on that railroad.
[Source: news.com.au]
As if to rub salt in the wound, Associate Professor Damon Honnery, of Monash University said, "The car is doomed. People are going to have to fundamentally change the way they think about travel and make much more use of non-motorised travel such as cycling and walking." Cycling and walking? Ah, but what of hybrids, electric cars and ethanol and such? "Our calculations show that not even the best combination of fuel efficiency, hybrid and electric cars, alternative fuels and car pooling could provide the reductions needed to meet the 2050 targets for avoiding dangerous climatic change," he continued, dashing all hopes of avoiding sacrifice.
Not to be outdone, co-author Dr. Patrick Moriarty put the kibosh on air travel as well. "An overseas trip might become a once-in-a-lifetime experience rather than an annual event." Wow. Remind me not to invite these guys to my next party.
So do they offer up any transportation alternatives besides walking and cycling? You bet. Public transport. Guess we better get working on that railroad.
[Source: news.com.au]
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