E.U. Confronted by Trucking Industry over Planned CO2 Emission Controls. By Marcin Grajewski, Reuters, 10/7/10. “Producers of heavy trucks protested on Thursday at European Union plans to impose strict curbs on emissions of carbon dioxide from the vehicles, saying they were unrealistic and ill-designed. The chiefs of Volvo, Fiat's unit Iveco and DAF said they had asked the European Commission and the European Parliament to redesign the planned law, warning them of chaos in an industry employing 250,000 people. The 27-nation EU wants to cut emissions of CO2 by 20% from their 1990 level, by 2020, in its battle against global warming. Reducing pollution from heavy trucks is to be part of the plan, which the Commission is likely to propose next year. The EU is debating plans to cut emissions from vans and light trucks to 175 grams of CO2 per km by 2016, and the CEOs fear a similar scheme might be imposed on heavy trucks.”

Tax on Vehicle Miles Traveled Gains Support But Raises Privacy Issues. By Saqib Rahim, ClimateWire, 10/7/10. “Last week, two former secretaries of Transportation joined a group of experts to propose the VMT [vehicles miles traveled] tax as a long-term solution for transportation funding. Currently, the federal money for roads, bridges and transit comes from a tax on gasoline. But… the tax hasn't been adjusted for inflation, so the system is going bankrupt… In a report [America’s New Transportation Agenda. PDF, 92 pp] from the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, they acknowledged that the public will have privacy concerns about the tax, but ‘in reality, the infringement on personal privacy need not exceed that already associated with other technological conveniences such as cell phones and credit cards.’ Technology and VMT experts agree, but they say the real problem is that the devices can be configured to be far more invasive -- or at least more invasive than people are ready to accept.”

Fuel-Economy Stickers Unveiled. ClimateWire, September 7, 2010. "U.S. EPA and the Department of Transportation issued two new designs for the fuel-economy stickers affixed to the windows of new cars. The designs aren't final -- they won't appear until the auto class of 2012, and the agencies have requested public input during the next two months. But the labels are distinct. One design would feature a large letter grade for a car's fuel economy and emissions levels. The other design would feature numbers: the car's miles-per-gallon score and the estimated annual cost of filling its gas tank or battery."

Shipping Companies Eye Arctic Northeast Passage. By Pierre-Henry Deshayes, AFP, September 3, 2010. "Ship owners are showing growing interest in a fabled trade route to Asia which climate change is beginning to open up at last as polar ice recedes. On Saturday the first non-Russian vessel to make an intercontinental commercial voyage through the Arctic Northeast passage will set sail from Norway for China. The route is thousands of kilometers (miles) shorter than traditional passages, promising to reduce travel time dramatically, along with fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions… Opting for the northern route will also allow ships to avoid the danger of pirates and other attacks in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean... Due to global warming, scientists say they expect the Arctic ice cover to completely disappear during the summer months in coming decades… But for the foreseeable future, the northern route remains a luxury that will be afforded only to ice-class ships, with reinforced hulls, like the Nordic Barents."

Broadway is Busy, with Pedestrians, if Not Car Traffic. By Michael M. Grynbaum, NYTimes, September 6, 2010. "It is Manhattan's most famous thoroughfare, known around the world for its theater marquees and giant Macy's. It has come to symbolize the outsize aspirations and swagger of New York. But under the Bloomberg administration, Broadway has been transformed… And city officials are considering a further expansion of the pedestrian space along the corridor, although they say there is no current plan to close it to cars entirely. The changes -- perhaps the swiftest re-engineering of a major New York roadway ever -- have made the street more palatable to pedestrians and bicyclists, making it a microcosm of a broader plan by the city to reallocate road space traditionally used by cars. Transportation officials say that accidents have decreased and nearby avenues in Midtown are less backed up."

How Much Should Highway Fuels Be Taxed? Resources for the Future, January 6, 2010. "Gasoline consumption on the nation's roads and highways account for one-fifth of U.S. carbon emissions. Meanwhile, traffic congestion continues to worsen and fatal vehicle accidents kill 40,000 people annually. Such conditions suggest that imposing higher taxes on highway fuels could have positive consequences - and would bring the United States more in line with policies of many European countries that tax gasoline more heavily. In a new paper, How Much Should Highway Fuels Be Taxed?[PDF, 35 pp] Ian W.H. Parry, the Allen Kneese Chair and RFF Senior Fellow, puts the economically efficient level of taxation at $1.23 per gallon for gasoline and $1.15 per gallon for diesel fuel. However, the paper also warns that the case for higher taxes can be greatly undermined if revenues are not used to enhance economic efficiency."

Carpooling is Effective, But Not Popular. By Jenny Mandell, ClimateWire, November 10, 2009. "We all know carpooling is good for the Earth. So highway departments build high-occupancy vehicle lanes and companies offer prime parking spaces for employees who share rides. But carpooling is unlikely to save the environment. It's too hard. So say scientists who have studied how people confront environmental and energy challenges. Carpooling, they say, has low 'plasticity' -- that is, people are unwilling to do it -- so its 'reasonably achievable emissions reductions' are low, as well... Mike Vandenbergh, director of Vanderbilt University's Climate Change Research Network. 'A real value is in looking not just at potential emissions reductions, but also at plasticity. Because otherwise, you'll be frustrated.' Carpooling, it turns out, is frustrating. Vandenbergh was part of a research team that examined 17 environment-saving behaviors, finding carpooling the second most effective in potential energy savings but dead last in potential consumer uptake. Their paper [PDF, 11 pp] was published last month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

'Clunker' Pickups Traded for New Pickups. By Ted Bridis, AP, November 5, 2009. "Billed as a way for the government to put more fuel-efficient vehicles on highways, the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program mostly involved swaps of old Ford or Chevrolet pickups for new ones that got only marginally better gas mileage, according to an analysis of new federal data by The Associated Press. The single most common swap -- which occurred more than 8,200 times -- involved Ford F150 pickup owners who took advantage of a government rebate to trade their old trucks for new Ford F150s. They were 17 times more likely to buy a new F150 than, say, a Toyota Prius. The fuel economy for the new trucks ranged from 15 mpg to 17 mpg based on engine size and other factors, an improvement of just 1 mpg to 3 mpg over the clunkers."

States Rated for Efficiency Standards. By Kate Galbraith, NYTimes, October 21, 2009. "California again claims the prize for most energy-efficient state, while Wyoming is holding steady in last place, according to new rankings from an efficiency advocacy group. Massachusetts has leaped from seventh in last year's rankings to second, and Maine rose from 19th place to crack the top 10 for the first time, according to the survey, which was conducted by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Rhode Island also broke into the top 10, which is dominated by coastal states -- plus Minnesota. The study assessed several factors, such as utility efficiency programs; building-code policies; appliance standards; and transportation. On transportation, states can earn points for measures such as land-use planning to reduce car use, and also for signing on to join California's efforts to obtain stricter tailpipe emissions rules, though those stricter limits are now being adopted nationally."

States Rated for Efficiency Standards. By Kate Galbraith, NYTimes, October 21, 2009. "California again claims the prize for most energy-efficient state, while Wyoming is holding steady in last place, according to new rankings from an efficiency advocacy group. Massachusetts has leaped from seventh in last year's rankings to second, and Maine rose from 19th place to crack the top 10 for the first time, according to the survey, which was conducted by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Rhode Island also broke into the top 10, which is dominated by coastal states -- plus Minnesota. The study assessed several factors, such as utility efficiency programs; building-code policies; appliance standards; and transportation. On transportation, states can earn points for measures such as land-use planning to reduce car use, and also for signing on to join California's efforts to obtain stricter tailpipe emissions rules, though those stricter limits are now being adopted nationally."

Biofuels Push Britain Toward Wheat Imports. By Pete Browne, NYTimes, October 16, 2009. "The growth of the biofuels industry in Britain may have the potential to turn the country into a net importer of wheat for the first time in its history, according to the British National Farmers' Union. The farm lobby estimates that 13.9 million tonnes of wheat (about 14.9 million United States tons) will be produced in 2009 -- 3.4 million tonnes lower than 2008, because of decreased yields and lower plantings. Meanwhile, two new biofuel projects are set to consume 2.3 million tonnes of British wheat next year. If these trends continue, the lobby noted last week, it could bring to an end to Britain's self sufficiency in wheat."

Interest in Natural Gas for Vehicles Wanes in Europe. By Andrés Cala, NYTimes, October 21, 2009. "Developing countries around the world are increasingly turning to natural gas as their alternative transportation fuel of choice. But early official embrace of the technology in industrialized nations has mostly cooled, because risks inherent in mass deployment outweigh the benefits, especially in regard to climate change. After a decade of double-digit annual growth, according to several estimates, more than 10 million vehicles worldwide are now powered by methane derived from natural gas or organic waste. Official support, especially in Asia, South America and gas-producing countries, is likely to drive the number to at least 50 million by 2020... Yet, in industrialized countries, the retreat of oil prices from the heights of last year has been paralleled by a loss of interest in natural gas as an alternative transport fuel. In Europe, where some governments promoted the use of natural gas in public transport fleets when oil prices were rising, a mass shift in that direction now seems less likely. One reason is that although natural gas burns more cleanly than oil, it is increasingly seen as not burning cleanly enough."

New York Close to Electric Car Plant Deal. By Kate Galbraith, NYTimes, October 20, 2009. "New York State is close to securing an electric car assembly plant, which would be among the first in the nation. Reva, an electric-car maker based in Bangalore, India, plans to work with Bannon Automotive, a Long Island electric-car firm, to build a three-door hatchback at a still-to-be-determined site near Syracuse."

Pickens Plan for Natural Gas Vehicles Gaining Traction. By Kambiz Foroohar, Bloomberg, October 7, 2009. "Trim and tanned at 81, T. Boone Pickens... is a far cry from the wildcatter turned corporate raider and backer of fellow Republican oilman George W. Bush, who downplayed global warming as U.S. president. Now Pickens has ingratiated himself not only with environmentalists but with the Democrats who derided him. The reason: his Pickens Plan, which embraces natural gas and wind power and which proponents say would cut oil imports and curb air pollution in the process. By dint of his plan, which Pickens has scaled back to focus on using natural gas to power the nation's 6.5 million diesel- burning heavy trucks, he has transformed himself into an unlikely environmental hero. Pickens says the U.S. can save 2.7 million barrels of oil a day, more than half of the 4.3 million barrels a day it imported from OPEC in June. After spending $60 million and taking a yearlong swing across America, Pickens has amassed enough support to persuade both Republicans and Democrats to propose legislation that gives incentives for natural gas vehicles and fueling stations."

China Orders 80 High Speed Trains in $4 Billion Deal. By James Murray, BusinessGreen, September 30, 2009. "As politicians in the US and UK continue to debate the merits of building high-speed rail networks, China is threatening to leave them stuck in a siding with plans for over 6,000km of high-speed rail lines and a new order for 80 trains with a top speed of 380km per hour. Canadian engineering giant Bombardier announced that a joint venture between its transportation arm and China-based rail firm CSR Sifang has secured a $4bn (£2.5bn) contract to provide the Ministry of Railways with 80 of the Zefiro 380 model, termed 'very high speed'. Bombardier, which is expected to secure $2bn in revenue though its share of the contract, said that the trains will be built at its facility in Qingdao, with the first trains delivered from 2012 and the order completed by 2014… The company says that they also include a new propulsion system that will deliver overall energy savings per passenger of up to 50% compared to existing rolling stock…'one of the most far-reaching high-speed rail initiatives anywhere in the world.'"

Park(ing) Day 2009: Battling the Auto over Public Space. By Daisy Nguyen, AP, September 18, 2009. "Activists across the nation parked themselves curbside Friday, taking up spaces reserved for cars and transforming them into mini parks with sod, potted plants, lawn chairs and even barbecues to raise awareness about how the auto has won the battle over public space in big cities... The movement started as a single installation four years ago in San Francisco and has become a worldwide event reaching more than 100 cities on four continents. Matthew Passmore, who helped start Park(ing) Day, said the concept strikes a chord with urban dwellers everywhere because they're dealing with similar issues of traffic congestion and pollution. The temporary parks highlight the fact that curbside parking 'results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,' Passmore said."

Obama Talks Green to GM Workers. Grist, September 15, 2009. "President Barack Obama put a green spin on Tuesday's address to autoworkers at the GM assembly plant in Warren, Ohio. The president sounded confident that the rescued, retooled, reinvented, more or less government-owned GM would be 'good for American workers, good for American manufacturing, and good for America's economy.' And it may just be a good thing for the global climate too. 'For too long,' the president told the autoworkers, 'our auto companies faced uncertain and conflicting fuel economy standards. That made it difficult for you to plan down the road. That's why, today, we are launching -- for the first time in history -- a new national standard aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in America. This action will give our auto companies some long-overdue clarity, stability, and predictability.'"

Administration Unveils New Fuel Economy Rules. AP, September 15, 2009. "The Obama administration on Tuesday unveiled its plan to require better gas mileage for cars and trucks and tougher rules on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions... The new standards call for the auto industry's fleet of new vehicles to average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016."

As Hill Debate on Climate Flounders, EPA Plows Ahead on Emission Rules. By Robin Bravender and Darren Samuelsohn, Greenwire, September 10, 2009. "The Obama administration is finalizing rules to control industrial greenhouse gas emissions amid growing skepticism about the prospects of Congress passing a comprehensive climate change bill this year. U.S. EPA is nearly finished with rules that answer the Supreme Court's 2007 opinion on global warming, as well as a nationwide standard to control greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. The regulatory push comes as Senate Democrats struggle to find the votes to pass a global warming bill. Committee chairmen have delayed the introduction of their cap-and-trade proposal until later this month, but it is unclear if they will get traction as Congress wades deeper into a battle over overhauling the nation's health care system."

German Ships Completing First-Ever Commercial Northeast Transit. By Andrew Kramer and Andrew C. Revkin, NYTimes, September 11, 2009. "For hundreds of years, mariners have dreamed of an Arctic shortcut that would allow them to speed trade between Asia and the West. Two German ships are poised to complete that transit for the first time, aided by the retreat of Arctic ice that scientists have linked to global warming. The ships started their voyage in South Korea in late July and will begin the last leg of the trip this week, leaving a Siberian port for Rotterdam in the Netherlands carrying 3,500 tons of construction materials. Russian ships have long moved goods along the country's sprawling Arctic coastline. And two tankers, one Finnish and the other Latvian, hauled fuel between Russian ports using the route, which is variously called the Northern Sea Route or the Northeast Passage. But the Russians hope that the transit of the German ships will inaugurate the passage as a reliable shipping route, and that the combination of the melting ice and the economic benefits of the shortcut -- it is thousands of miles shorter than various southerly routes -- will eventually make the Arctic passage a summer competitor with the Suez Canal... The Russian government technically opened the Northeast Passage for international vessels after the breakup of the Soviet Union, but no commercial cargo carriers have until now ventured all the way across. Nikolai A. Monko, the head of the Northern Sea Route Administration in the Russian Transport Ministry, said the policy now was to promote the route. The ministry, he said, is considering lowering the flat fee charged for icebreaker escort and rescue if needed. The goal in part is to generate a revenue stream for the country's six-vessel nuclear icebreaker fleet that escorts convoys through the passage, and to pay for fixed costs like navigation beacons, he said."