In an article published this past weekend UN Environment highlighted the urgent need for the Transport sector to generate changes that will reduce its impact on air pollution.
Gas powered public transport solves the most urgent factors affecting urban air. Gas powered transportation practically eliminates particulate and NOx emissions associated with diesel vehicles. Biomethane/Renewable Natural Gas, produced from waste processing or methanation brings carbon negative transport. These currently operating actions not only reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but also “clean” CO2 alrready in the environment. (see our post https://www.globalgasmobility.com/norways-prime-minister-erna-solberg-opened-the-worlds-largest-liquefied-biogas-plant-at-skogn/ )
UN Environment states:
“The transport sector is the fastest growing contributor to climate emissions and particles from cars and other vehicles – including black carbon and nitrogen dioxide – also contribute to a range of illnesses including respiratory conditions, strokes, heart attacks, dementia and diabetes.
Across the world, governments and city authorities are introducing cleaner public transport and pledging to ban the most polluting vehicles in a bid to reduce the harmful impact of a sector that is only set to grow.
Innovation, legislation and public awareness are key to ensuring that sustainable transport becomes a reality before it is too late. Already, the message is getting through.”
“Air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 early deaths in the United Kingdom every year. The British government, which has lost three court cases over air quality since 2015, plans to ban new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 as part of a 3 billion pounds (US$3.9 billion) clean air strategy. Campaigners say this needs to happen earlier to tackle what ministers have called a “public health emergency”.
France has also pledged to end the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 while Denmark has proposed a full ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and on hybrid vehicles from 2035. The mayors of Paris, Madrid, Mexico City and Athens have said they plan to ban the most polluting diesel vehicles from city centres by 2025.
UN Environment has made air pollution a priority, urging governments and local authorities to join the Breathe Life campaign it runs with the World Health Organization and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The campaign, which supports cleaner air initiatives and promotes the use of clean energy, reaches over 97 million people worldwide.”
“….The Environment Assembly’s motto is to Think Beyond and Live Within: to think beyond prevailing patterns and live within sustainable limits to tackle environmental challenges and assure a prosperous future.”
We firmly believe that the Motto should include think outside of the “electric box” and include the readily available and sustainable option of Natural Gas as a fuel for transportation.