The Drive of your Life

From now on, all road trips will get leaner, cleaner and greener.

That’s the astonishing and very welcome news from Team Obama in the United States :-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/19/obama-carbon-emissions-auto-industry

Strict requirements for automobile efficiency have been set out today, a move that could cut America’s Global Warming Pollution by a third.

Yes, it’s taken extensive fudgy bailouts to keep the country’s car manufacturers afloat – but the financial crisis has proved an opportunity for regulation – changes that might have taken years otherwise.

The two sectors of the American Economy where Carbon Dioxide emissions are still rising are transportation and electrical power generation.

Since road transportation has been rising inexorably until very recently, the imposition of fuel efficiency is going to be a major force in the short-term to get American emissions downward trending :-

http://bioage.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/06/19/dotapril2.png

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/06/us-vehicle-mile.html

And that’s quite a drive !

Notes :-

American Department of Energy chart of changes in Carbon Dioxide emissions :-

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/images/fig_6.jpg

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/carbon.html

Transport accounts worldwide for nearly 20% of Carbon Dioxide emissions :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greenhouse_Gas_by_Sector.png