Wednesday, 6 April 2011

We have ways of making you walk. Or at least of making you take the train.

Found at EuTube:


As some wag points out in the comments, "This video gives us a fascinating insight into the mentality that drives the European Commission, implying that policy papers will help to bring about a better world by some kind of magical transformation".

Further excavation shows what manner of schemes are being cooked up:

By 2050, key goals will include:


  • No more conventionally-fuelled cars in cities.
  • 40% use of sustainable low carbon fuels in aviation; at least 40% cut in shipping emissions.
  • A 50% shift of medium distance intercity passenger and freight journeys from road to rail and waterborne transport.
  • All of which will contribute to a 60% cut in transport emissions by the middle of the century.


If I make it to 2050 I'll be a fair vintage, and thus will be especially well placed to be spectacularly grumpy about all this

3 comments:

  1. Three zeds is most impressive, former Chiswickite, formerly Croydonian.

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  2. No. 1 is dead easy. We have loads of non-conventionally-fuelled cars on the roads already. By 2050 electric and hybrid and probably things we haven't thought of yet will be commonplace.

    2 is less easy unless we can find some magic way of producing biofuels without starving the poor.

    3 will be a struggle unless we build a lot of railways. In the UK at least, something like 90% of journeys are by road and the rail network cannot cope with its 10%ish...

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  3. Hello James - nice to see you again.

    BE - Hmm, unless we are including diesels, I'd imagine we are in the low single per cents, aren't we?

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