'The New Jersusalem?' The Impact to Date of 'Clean Fuel' Cars on CO{sub}2 Emissions in the United Kingdom

摘要

Car ownership and use in the UK has escalated dramatically since the end of World War II and there are now more than more than 28 million cars on the road and approximately 620 billion passenger vehicle kms are driven annually. Although the car has liberated millions of individuals, not all outcomes are positive and, as is widely recognised, use of fossil fuels for transportation purposes has had a detrimental impact on the environment. In 1997 the British government signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Kyoto pledging to reduce carbon emissions to 12.5% below 1990 levels and stated a further intention to reduce domestic carbon emissions to 20% below 1990 levels. In addition to reduction of emissions from industry, power and energy generation, it is reasonable to expect that carbon emissions from the transport sector, and particularly those from private transport, should be reduced. This paper reviews and questions the government's 'clean fuel car' policies and the impact thereof on CO{sub}2 emissions to date. The paper then illustrates how use of readily available technologies, specifically electric vehicles powered by sustainably generated electricity, could significantly reduce CO{sub}2 emissions as part of and in addition to the government's plan to meet CO{sub}2 reduction targets.