Towards the Green Environment

Abstract

Over the last decade technological advancements of the car have gone rapidly. Emissions and environmental impacts have been significantly reduced. Even so that the Dutch Ministry of Transport wanted to check if it is still valid to prioritise investments in the public transport over the car system motivated by environmental arguments. A study has been performed comparing the environmental impacts of car use and public transport in urban areas. Next to the current situation also technological and policy advancements have been taken into account in considering future scenarios for 2010. For this the NEI-FACTS model has been applied (Forecasting Air Pollution by Car Traffic Simulation). As part of the urban public transport the environmental impacts of busses, trains and trams/metro have been considered. Next to emissions also energy use, noise nuisance, waste materials and use of scare space have been taken into account (MILOV model). The study shows that notwithstanding the technological improvements by the automobile industries the urban environmental impact of the public transport modes is still less than that of cars. Especially rail systems seems very environmentally efficient. Nevertheless serious attention needs to be paid on the emissions of SO2 and Nox by the public transport. Policies like privetising public transport and reductions of subsidies are estimated to work in favour of the environmental impact of public transport although there might be a slower penetration of the market of cleaner but more expensive technologies. This only stresses the need of further internalising of external costs for all modes.