Mobility Matters Daily #151 - Changing carbon prices and how simple it was to fly
Plus why being a jerk in traffic benefits everyone
Good day my good friend
Could Massive Attack lead to more sustainable travel to and from concerts? A question I’d never thought I would ever ask, but my word the findings are brilliant for sustainable transport.
Here are today’s links chosen especially for you.
James
The UK Government changes how it prices carbon in appraisal. Its implications could be big
Thank you to my good friend Kit Allwinter for pointing this out to me. The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy released a policy paper last week on the valuation of greenhouse gas emissions in policy appraisal. Or simply, how do we price the disbenefits of carbon emissions from a policy. The change is, big. The previous prices had carbon priced at £25 per tonne. Now the price is £120 per tonne, for one year, at the most pessimistic price. Anyone want to recalculate the benefits of the roads programme as a result of this?
How to electrify powered two wheelers
The humble motorcycle has done more to free the people than any car ever has. The Honda Super Cub, for example, has sold more units than any other motor vehicle ever. Even some of the most thirsty motorcycles get a fuel economy only dreamt of by the average family car (e.g. the Harley-Davidson Sportster 48 achieves 48 mpg). So why should they not be electrified? Some start-ups are starting to explore this as a serious opportunity. The benefits could be big. A study of motorcycle electrification in Mexico City concluded that:
Though motorcycles only make up 2% of trips in Mexico City, partial electrification of motorcycles could result in reductions in pollutants by 10-20%.
So why not do this? There are still technical challenges ahead, such as ensuring the electric motor delivers sufficient power to propel the vehicle, as well as the cost and user acceptance. But perhaps we could make a start?
An entire generation do not know how easy it was to fly
There is a lot of talk about how hard it is to change things. Then there is the reality borne by experience. This fascinating article in The Conversation shows just how easy it was to get on a plane not so long ago. I tend to concur with the conclusion - it was once FAR easier to fly. In the UK, I remember when low cost airlines first came on the scene. When £10 to fly to the Czech Republic (that I may or may not have taken advantage of) meant just that. It cost you £10 total. I also had the opportunity to fly on domestic flights in the US in the mid-1990s, where you could literally walk right up to the gate without being challenged. So this is a reminder that things do get better over time.
Something interesting for today
On the first view, this diagram makes very little sense. But this is part of a really fascinating project by MySociety that is looking to identify local authorities that are similar in their carbon emissions profile. Combined with their work to identify climate action plans and progress against them, this could be a useful learning tool for local authorities in the UK.
If you do nothing else today, do this…
Watch this video by Half as Interesting on the Zipper Merge. Then never get mad at queue jumpers ever again.