The Australian Low Carbon Transport Forum (ALCTF) has published its first major report into potential ways in which the transport sector can reduce its carbon emissions.

 

The report found that the transport sector, which is the nation’s second largest greenhouse gas emitter by industry, has a number of viable abatement opportunities available to it, which could lead to a 64 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050 and would play a significant role in achieving the Federal Government’s target of an 80 per cent reduction in emissions on the 2000 level by 2050.

 

According to the report, the largest abatement options come from fuel efficiencies and vehicle technology improvements, including the use of electric vehicles.

 

The report also concluded that there are a number of social and economic barriers that are preventing a full uptake of cleaner forms of transportation, such as reluctance to change lifestyles, NIMBYism and established work practices.

 

The ALCTF is a partnership between the CSIRO, ARRB Group and the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.

 

The report concluded that the largest single barrier to the uptake of mass carbon abatement in the transport sector is the hesitance with which the general population would take up the available options.

 

The summary report can be found here

 

 The full technical report can be found here