Raising Motorway Speed Limit Threatens Carbon Reduction Targets

30/06/2011 at 5:09 pm · Filed under Climate Change, Human Action, Political and Corporate Action, Politics, Transport and tagged: CO2 Emissions, Committee on Climate Change, Eco-Driving, Lord Adair Turner, Philip Hammond, UK

www.telegraph.co.uk 30th June 2011

Plans to raise the speed limit on UK motorways from 70 mph to 80 mph have been criticised by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). According to the Committee, led by Lord Adair Turner, the increase would increase the amount of CO2 emitted by motorway traffic as well as cost the economy £150 million because of growing taxes on pollution levels. Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, is contemplating the speed increase as it may be in the interest of businesses to do so. The CCC however claim it is eco-driving that will save the money. Limits on driving speeds could save 5 million tonnes of carbon annually amounting to about £1 billion of savings over 10 years (carbon is currently valued at £30 a tonne). Eco-driving has currently not taken off though as only 10,000 drivers were trained for it in 2010, compared to the 350,000 needed annually to reach carbon reduction targets. The UK is already behind on its EU promise to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% by the year 2025. In 2010, emissions rose by 3% when they should be declining by that amount every year.

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