Vehicles become top CO2 emitting sector in USA, overtaking electricity for first time in 40 years - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE]Some of the most common avatars of climate change – hulking power stations and billowing smokestacks – may need a slight update. For the first time in more than 40 years, the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the US isn’t electricity production but transport – cars, trucks, planes, trains and shipping. Emissions data has placed transport as the new king of climate-warming pollution at a time when the Trump administration is reviewing or tearing up regulations that would set tougher emissions standards for car and truck companies. Republicans in Congress are also pushing new fuel economy rules they say will lower costs for American drivers but could also weaken emissions standards. Opponents of the administration fret this agenda will imperil public health and hinder the effort to address climate change. “This Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t seem to have met an air regulation that it likes,” said Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board and a former EPA assistant administrator. “I’ve not seen any evidence that this administration knows anything about the auto industry, they just seem to be against anything the Obama administration did. “Vehicle emissions are going up, so clearly not enough is being done on that front. The Trump administration is halting further progress at a critical point when we really need to get a grip on this problem.” The 1970 Clean Air Act, signed by Richard Nixon, set standards for a cocktail of different pollutants emitted from new vehicles. New [B]cars and trucks, which account for more than 80% of transport emissions[/B], now have to meet fuel efficiency standards and display this information to consumers. This approach has helped cleanse previously smog-laden American cities and tamp down greenhouse gas emissions. But in 2016, about 1.9bn tons of carbon dioxide emissions were emitted from transportation, up nearly 2% on the previous year, according to the Energy Information Administration. This increase means that transport has overtaken power generation as the most polluting sector in the country, and it’s likely to stay that way.[/QUOTE] [url]https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/01/vehicles-climate-change-emissions-trump-administration[/url]

Nice job Trump, you empowered all the assholes that didn't want to change their comfy little lives to keep ruining all of the fucking planet

[QUOTE=SebiWarrior;53021509]Nice job Trump, you empowered all the assholes that didn't want to change their comfy little lives to keep ruining all of the fucking planet[/QUOTE] The increased numbers have nothing to do with Trump's presidency at this time. Would be more accurate to see the numbers after his first term is complete.

[QUOTE=redBadger;53021517]The increased numbers have nothing to do with Trump's presidency at this time. Would be more accurate to see the numbers after his first term is complete.[/QUOTE] And I'm sure "climate change isn't real" policies have nothing to do with climate change

While there has been a noticeable uptick in carbon emissions from transportation, it's important to keep in mind that the main reason behind this change is that carbon emissions from electricity generation have fallen quite steadily in the past decade. [IMG]https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/images/2017.04.10/chart3.png[/IMG] Obviously this doesn't mean everything is fine and nothing should be done, but to say that this is a direct result from former reality TV star Trump's actions isn't very true.

[QUOTE=papkee;53021543]While there has been a noticeable uptick in carbon emissions from transportation, it's important to keep in mind that the main reason behind this change is that carbon emissions from electricity generation have fallen quite steadily in the past decade. [IMG]https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/images/2017.04.10/chart3.png[/IMG] Obviously this doesn't mean everything is fine and nothing should be done, but to say that this is a direct result from former reality TV star Trump's actions isn't very true.[/QUOTE] That's the first thing that I thought, if transportation overtook electric power in CO2 emissions, I don't think a huge number of people just suddenly appeared on the roads in Hummer H1's. It's a much simpler explanation to see that power production has reduced it's CO2 output, which follows the trends of increases in adoption of renewables and the shut down of older coal plants in favor of natural gas turbines.

[QUOTE=SebiWarrior;53021530]And I'm sure "climate change isn't real" policies have nothing to do with climate change[/QUOTE] Yes except you won't see substantial differences in numbers until they set in stone for a few years. If this was 2-3 years into his presidency, you might be correct to assume this was Trumps fault for enacting policy that encourages less automotive regulations. I'd wager this is more to do with different factors, at this time.

While the current uptick might not be related to Trump, he isn't doing anything that will ease emissions. Infact his policies are just going to allow the steady uptick to continue at least into the early 2020s, and possibly well beyond. Automotive emission reductions via increased fuel standards take a long time to come to fruition. The only way you'd see an almost immediate reduction would be with the proper implementation of a carbon tax.

I hope this is enough to shut up the people who say we need to greenify our power grid exclusively instead of pushing electric vehicles. Which is something I've seen a ton of on FP.

[QUOTE=AtomicSans;53022278]I hope this is enough to shut up the people who say we need to greenify our power grid exclusively instead of pushing electric vehicles. Which is something I've seen a ton of on FP.[/QUOTE] I would hope so but I fear that people will just find yet another excuse and continue to white wash the issue.

Even here in Venezuela we have absurdly cheap gasoline, but as ironically cars and maintenance have become heavy expensive many have reduced using their vehicles or "use it in special cases" The problem in US it comes that people are still buying or using vehicles with horribly poor performance (Old vehicles for example) and SUVs over "it's better" that other alternatives considering that many still have in their heads "Use an electric car?! if oil are still cheap!" or still insist that electric vehicles do not reach anything If Obama tried with Cash for Clunkers program that in the end it was a complete disaster and how trump goes .....it will become too difficult Unless another 1973 and 1979 oil crisis happens again

[QUOTE=Vodkavia;53021540]It's not Trump's fault, while he is worsening the problem, it's something of a failure of americans that's come and gone with oil prices. When fuel is cheap, people buy the biggest car they can with no thought as to whether it's actually providing them any extra utility. Oil prices low? "Better buy this gigantic truck or SUV even though 99.99% of the time it's just going to be hauling my ass alone with no cargo or anything." And then oil prices go back up and these same people have a massive hole being burnt in their wallets because these people who lack any sense of practicality when buying a vehicle unsurprisingly don't have the foresight realize that was obviously going to happen.[/QUOTE] I hate how people buy those just because it looks cool or whatever, and how brands now make their cars to look like them aswell. Its an epidemic.

Low gas prices lead to people buying big vehicles, that's pretty well established. I would be interested in how the car enthusiasts here would suggest we deal with the issue. Transportation is now the USA's biggest greenhouse gas emitting sector, and is continuing to emit more and more. Apparently 80% of these emissions are from passenger vehicles and pickups, how do we reduce these emissions?

[QUOTE=Morgen;53022716]Low gas prices lead to people buying big vehicles, that's pretty well established. I would be interested in how the car enthusiasts here would suggest we deal with the issue. Transportation is now the USA's biggest greenhouse gas emitting sector, and is continuing to emit more and more. Apparently 80% of these emissions are from passenger vehicles and pickups, how do we reduce these emissions?[/QUOTE] I'd say improving and promoting public transportation systems would be a good start, at least in the most urban areas.

[QUOTE=_Axel;53022942]I'd say improving and promoting public transportation systems would be a good start, at least in the most urban areas.[/QUOTE] Electric busses have the potential to have a significant impact on emissions, though regular busses have quite high emissions and the savings are limited in terms of CO2 per mile per passenger in comparison to an average sedan. [editline]2nd January 2018[/editline] Carpooling in a sedan with one other person might be quite significant as well.