Mileage cut 'would trim emissions'

27 November 2003: An Irish energy ‘think tank’ is suggesting that we cut our annual road mileage in order to trim CO2 emissions.

Some 441,000 tonnes of emissions could be avoided if the annual average mileage in private cars was reduced from 20,000km to 18,000km, according to the national energy authority, Sustainable Energy Ireland.

In a new report, SEI is also suggesting that shifting to ‘the nearest more efficient engine capacity band’ would cut a further 53,000 tonnes of emissions each year.

Transport accounts for about 30 per cent of Ireland’s energy consumption, and private cars are said to be responsible for between a third and half of that amount.

Though Ireland is expected to limit annual greenhouse gas emissions to 13 per cent above 1990 levels by the period 2008-2012, under the Kyoto Protocol, by 2001, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from transport were 120 per cent above 1990 levels. And transport-related emissions will rise to 180 per cent above 1990 levels by 2010 on current trends.

©2003 irishcar.com