Greenhouse Gas EmissionsAustralia accounts for 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and has one of the highest overall emission rates per capita. Transport contributes 14% of Australia’s total greenhouse emissions and is one of the fastest growing sectors of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from total transport are projected to increase by nearly 30% between 2005 and 2020. Rail transport has significant environmental advantages over road transport. The rail industry accepts that it has a dual role to play in positively responding to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions by:
Rail caused 2.6% of Australia’s transport emissions in 2005. These are projected to be 3.2% by 2020 reflecting increased demand for rail due to improved infrastructure and increased public transport patronage resulting from high petrol prices and increased traffic congestion. The benefits of rail in providing a low emissions rail solution are globally recognised. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change support the use of rail as a transport policy for emissions reduction (Endnote 1). By contrast, growth in road transport emissions is projected to be seven times higher than all other forms of transport up to 2020. Historically the majority of Australian government transport expenditure has been committed to roads rather than public transport. As a consequence, Australia is among the highest ‘road metres per capita’ in the world and private motor cars accounted for around 62% of road emissions in 2005. Commercial trucks account for a further 36% of road emissions. Rail carries the majority of bulk freight such as iron ore, coal and minerals totalling 647.1 million tonnes in 2006/07. However, trucks move about 80% of domestic non-bulk general freight and dominate every major inter-capital route except the Eastern States-WA and Adelaide - Darwin corridors. Rail carried 18.58 million tonnes in 2006/07. Since 1972 there has been a steady decline in the use of rail between Eastern States capital cities from 39% to a projected 6.5% by 2020 if current trends and transport policies continue. This reflects the lack of infrastructure investment resulting in poor service quality including uncompetitive transit times and reliability. With the freight transport task expected to double by 2020, it will not be possible for road transport to provide the required quantum reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the freight transport sector to meet national emissions targets. Rail could provide the scale of emissions cuts required to meet 2020 targets for the transport sector, if supported with appropriate infrastructure and policies (Endnote 2). Similarly, investment in urban rail to provide new passenger catchment areas and integrated transport planning in urban development and supporting transport hubs will provide capacity for modal shift from road to rail to achieve national emissions reduction targets. Table 1 shows actual and projected emissions from the transport sector from 1990 (base year for the Kyoto Protocol) to 2020. Table 1 – Emissions from Transport sector (Endnote 3)
Energy EfficiencyUrban rail is almost six times as energy efficient as cars (Endnote 4). Rail freight is around four times as energy efficient as road transport. For example one train Melbourne – Sydney takes 150 trucks off the road, saving 45,000 litres of fuel and produces around 44 tonnes less greenhouse gas emissions. Land UseRail transport can deliver significant land use savings compared to moving the same number of people by road. A double track railway requires only one quarter of the land of a dual carriageway road and has about one third of the construction and maintenance costs. Rail services can move at least 20,000 people per hour; a six-lane freeway can manage only a quarter of this volume. A peak hour train carrying 2,000 passengers replaces 1,600 motor cars, significantly reducing congestion and pollution CongestionAcross Australia, road use and urban road congestion is on the rise in major cities. Almost half of Australia’s total urban vehicle kilometres travelled are currently performed under congested traffic conditions (Endnote: 5). This contributes to increased levels of air and noise pollution and can reduce the competitiveness of a city by impeding the flows of people and freight and its ability to attract businesses and skilled employees (Endnote 6). Public transport usage equates to around 3 million trips per day and if these were converted to private car trips our cities would cease to function effectively. For freight, the rail industry supports a viable and efficient rail network as part of a national integrated freight transport network that would provide for:
Air Pollution and HealthAmbient air pollution caused by motor vehicles is also a major health problem. In 2000, such pollution caused an estimated 2,700 cases of morbidity and an estimated 1,400 cases of premature death. The main causes of death were cardio-vascular problems, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases. The cost of death and disease that can be attributed to motor vehicle pollution was of the order of $2.9 to $3.9 billion in 2000 (Endnote 7). Greater use of public transport, in particular train and light rail (tram), would:
Rail Industry InitiativesThe Australasian Railway Association (ARA) is coordinating the following rail industry initiatives:
Further information on these initiatives are available on the ARA website – www.ara.net.au Endnotes 1. United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, AR4 Report 2007.
|