LowCVP News: 'Road Transport Challenge' winners announced
Thu 15 June 2006
View all news
(Press release:) The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership today announced the winners of the year-long ‘Challenge’ set for UK transport policy specialists to contribute ideas for new policy and other initiatives to accelerate the shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels and help meet the UK’s climate change targets.
The four leading proposals are being presented today at a major London conference attended by the Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks, and 190 delegates from organisations with a particular stake in reducing the climate impacts from road transport. Eight proposals (including the four presented) are included in a publication to accompany the conference (and which is available for download today from the LowCVP website).
The ‘Low Carbon Road Transport Challenge’ was intended to bring forward policy proposals and other initiatives from ‘think tanks’, academic organisations and other NGOs to be tested and validated by representatives of the (now) 205-member Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP). The submissions were expected to have the potential to contribute towards carbon reduction targets, including those outlined in the Government’s 2002 ‘Powering Future Vehicles’ Strategy.
Proposals were expected to fall into one of the following categories: fiscal and regulatory measures; consumer information; motor/fuels industry protocols or voluntary measures; promoting industry cooperation/harmonising the low carbon supply chain.
The winning entries are:
(Presented at the LowCVP Conference 2006:)
Dr Robert Rabinowitz, ECX Associate Membership Ltd
- Using carbon markets to encourage the uptake of low carbon vehicles
This proposal asserts that the use of a market-based trading mechanism would greatly ease the implementation of policies to reduce carbon emissions from new vehicles. It concludes that the use of such a mechanism could significantly reduce the costs for vehicle manufacturers and increase their flexibility in meeting CO2 targets.
Alex Veitch, Energy Saving Trust
- Options for carbon regulation of the European car industry
This submission claims that carbon regulations imposed on car manufacturers would be a popular measure. It advocates a company-specific CO2 target, reduced on a year-by-year basis. While not specifically advocating trading, this paper suggests that trading could be a part of the suggested regulatory approach.
Dr Jillian Anable, Paige Mitchell and Dr Russell Layberry
- Getting the genie back in the bottle: limiting speed to reduce carbon emissions
This paper proposes the enforcement of current speed limits and/or the reduction of speed limits on certain roads. It highlights the significant impact of speed on fuel economy and carbon emissions.
Dr Ben Lane, Dr Stephen Potter and Dr James Warren, Open University/Ecolane
- Taxing cars with attitude
This entry proposes a new approach to defining an effective low carbon taxation regime. It starts by identifying the most effective ‘levers’ for influencing consumer behaviour and proposes a taxation system informed by this understanding. It aims to identify the most efficient links between tax policy, consumer attitudes, car purchasing behaviour and carbon impact.
(Papers also included in the conference publication:)
Tony Grayling, Tim Gibbs and Ben Castle, Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr)
- Tailpipe trading: how to include road transport in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
The ippr entry proposes that the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) should be extended to include tailpipe emissions of CO2 from road transport, indirectly through fuel suppliers. The authors claim that this system would be relatively cheap and simple to administer because of the small number of companies involved.
Keith Boxer, Leila O’Sullivan, Manchester: Knowledge Capital
- Green Badge Parking Permit
A locally-based proposal that could have wider applications. ‘Green Badges’ would be issued to drivers of low carbon cars enabling preferential and free, or cheap access to parking in congested urban areas.
Malcolm Fergusson, Ian Skinner and Eleanor Mackay, Institute for European Environmental Policy
- A ‘feebate’ scheme for the UK
This entry proposes the introduction of a differential purchase tax based on vehicles’ CO2 bandings (ie as per the fuel economy label) with rebates offered to the least polluting vehicles paid for through a purchase levy imposed on vehicles that pollute most heavily.
Assoc Prof Steven Cousins, Cranfield University
- New dashboard instruments inform CO2 policies for new vehicles
This submission explains how providing drivers with clear and appropriate information on car dashboards can encourage ‘ecodriving’ habits, improving fuel economy and cutting carbon emissions. It claims that many suitable dashboard instruments can be manufactured cheaply in quantity, and that there are also retro-fit options.
Speaking at the LowCVP conference today, Neil Wallis of the LowCVP said: “The Government’s own forecasts show that in the absence of new policy measures, or other initiatives, carbon dioxide emissions from road transport will continue to grow. It’s clear that effective new policies and other initiatives are needed if this sector is to make a positive contribution to the mitigation of climate change.”
The LowCVP Director Greg Archer said: “We need, urgently, to fully evaluate these and other policy proposals and initiatives to tackle rising road transport CO2 emissions. There have been some positive recent developments – such as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation – but we need new initiatives. These should encourage both the supply and demand for low carbon vehicles and fuels and tackle rising vehicle use by encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport.”
The Challenge has been supported by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, a leading academic network which focuses on policy advice to mitigate climate change. The Centre helped to raise awareness of the initiative amongst relevant communities and advised on other aspects of the process.
At the outset in the Challenge process, Professor Mike Hulme, Director of the Tyndall Centre said: "Climate Change presents society with immense new challenges, especially in the area of road transport. We need creative and practical solutions which are both radical yet sympathetic to people's aspirations for a better future. The Tyndall Centre welcomes this initiative and intends to participate actively to help make it a success.”
Note: The winning proposals to the ‘Low Carbon Road Transport Challenge’ can be downloaded (1MB) from the LowCVP website home page: www.lowcvp.org.uk
A limited number of printed copies are available from the LowCVP secretariat: www.lowcvp.org.uk
A limited number of printed copies are available from the LowCVP secretariat: secretariat@lowcvp.org.uk
< Back to news list