A second Pew Center report on transportation and climate change has been released. It places most emphasis on vehicle technology and fuel, less on transit and smart growth. However, urban planners should note that pricing policies are stressed.
Urban planners will have difficulty in simply finding where smart growth solutions are discussed. After a brief mention in the report's executive summary, planners should go to Section 2.5.7 Moving Towards Compact Development to read why smart growth was discounted.
"Today's technologies, if widely used, can already make substantial gains in fuel efficiency and emission cuts, while a fuel mix of electricity, biofuels, and hydrogen could significantly reduce gasoline-powered vehicles by mid-century, the report states".
From executive summary, pg. XI of report: Moving Towards Compact Development: "A recent National Research Council study and two other recent studies conclude that GHG emissions could be reduced by 10 percent or more by 2050 if 75 to 90 percent of all new development were "compact." Because of competing priorities at the local level, however, the scenarios in this study achieve reductions in travel and GHG emissions of 0.5 to 2.0 percent by 2035 and 1.5 percent to 5.0 percent by 2050."
"This report is an update of Pew Center's 2003 report on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From U.S. Transportation
Thanks to Len Conley
FULL STORY: Press Release: NEW REPORT EXAMINES PATHS TO CLEANER, MORE SECURE US TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS
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