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Report written by Stuart Parkinson, SGR
It was suggested that the workshop focus on three possible actions on this topic:
1. an SGR response to the Government Consultation paper on the UK Climate Change Programme (deadline 12th February, 1999);
2. setting up a discussion forum for scientists on this issue;
3. awareness raising of the importance of the growing contribution of emissions from transport to climate change.
The workshop agreed that these three actions were appropriate, and then focused on the issues which may contribute towards SGR's response to the consultation paper.
In particular, we discussed ways in which air travel (the fastest growing sector) could be reduced, how car travel could be made less attractive in favour of public transport and cycling etc, and even ways to reform the economic system so that more sustainable transportation was encouraged.
A couple of other suggestions were made concerning action that SGR could be involved in: production of an eco-travel guide; and organisation of an alternative to the next COP climate conference, following the example of The Other Economic Summit (now The Peoples Summit ) which is held in parallel with each G8 meeting.
It was agreed that discussion should continue through an SGR email discussion
forum, in particular to complete the SGR response to the Government consultation
paper.
Annex - specific points
On the issue of air transport, it was noted that:
1. Friends of the Earth Netherlands have produced a report as part of their campaign entitled The Right Price for Air Travel , which produces newsletters and regular information bulletins. Important to note is that this campaign is very specifically targeted towards achieving air taxes or charges (principally in the EU) and probably will be wrapped up soon as an FoE campaign; therefore there is scope for continued work in this area by SGR.
2. Video conferencing offers the possibility of replacing some air travel.
3. Air travel is currently growing at 6% per annum.
4. The International Civil Aviation Organisation, the body which oversees international air travel, is currently resisting attempts to tax aviation fuel at a level compatible with ground based transportation.
A number of more general points were made:
1. the UK government should get a higher share of UK oil revenues and use this to subsidise, eg, public transport.
2. major economic reform was necessary to tackle climate change long term: eg ecological tax reform; linking currency to energy consumption.
3. is the large amount of military transport necessary?
4. more freight should be carried by rail and canals.
5. planning regulations need to be reformed to help build community and support public transport, cycling and walking rather than cars.
6. car owners should pay to have trees planted to offset their GHG emissions.
7. car advertising should include GHG emissions information, and a government health warning.
8. city centre buses should be free at off-peak times to encourage people to leave their cars at home.
9. the other benefits of fewer cars/ aircraft (eg noise, air pollution, safer communities etc) should be promoted as well.
10. Swiss trains running downhill generate electricity which feeds into the national grid - how much scope for this in the UK and elsewhere?
11. the use of cost-benefit analysis is very problematic in the area.
12. A number of recent publications from the Wuppertal Institute in Germany and the Rocky Mountain Institute in the USA are relevant to this issue.
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