Commentary: The Climate-mandate-compliance Imperative And What Might That Look Like?
Within transportation, global atmospheric greenhouse gas contribution by railways is a scant two percent. Said emissions from the motor-vehicle sector, on the other hand, is substantial: 74 percent or nearly three-fourths.
It is helpful knowing what the transportation sector’s impact generally on air quality or air purity is.
In its DOT Report to Congress: Decarbonizing U.S. Transportation “Executive Summary” section, the United States Department of Transportation makes crystal clear: “The transportation sector accounts for about one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, more than any other individual sector of the economy. Decarbonizing transportation is critical to addressing the climate crisis and meeting the national goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and the interim target of 50-52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.”[1]
“Given that transportation is the largest source of U.S. GHG emissions, it is impossible to meet the net-zero goal without driving transportation emissions down to near zero,”[2] the DOT further related.
And, how will that be carried out with regard to automated transportation? Across-the-board electrification? Establishing low carbon fuel standards. Greater reliance on public transit, passenger trains and active transportation like walking and biking? What do you think?!
Railways Pulling Their Weight
In consideration of putting greater reliance on public transit, passenger trains and on walking and biking and what making a shift in mode split might mean, one should want to know what the breakdown in percentage and hard-number terms are of factors such as mode share; in other words, in any given year, how many passenger trips are made, for example, on trains or on foot or on bike versus how many said trips are taken in transit buses and automobiles (the roadway-based modes) and, over time, what will that relationship look like? Will it change in any appreciable way or will it be fixed?
Moreover, in the grand scheme of things, how do other sectors factor in, that is, in our working toward reaching our climate goals? Will other sectors like agriculture, energy, industry, mining, etc., become leaner and/or cleaner/greener and if those and others more and more move in either or both those directions, what will the impact be on transportation as a whole?
Looking just at trains, electrification appears to be generating a lot of press and drawing much attention of late. A question concerning this is how many pikes can afford or even want to make the switch to this form of propulsion supply. And if a railway does go this route, what options are available to it? Converting to a conventional electric operation with energized “third-rail” or overhead catenary wire, or employing the use of locomotives powered by battery or hydrogen fuel cell, solar power as one railroad in Australia appears to have done or electing to hybridize, what will the choice(s) be?
And, for those railways that still roster diesel-electric locos, will diesel-driven motive power remain a steadfast and viable option and, if so, will these ‘roads be allowed to use petroleum-based diesel fuel? Or, will they instead be required to have all motive power run only on renewable diesel or biodiesel?
One More Known Unknown
The face of American railroading engine-performance-, fuel efficiency- and sustainability-wise, may soon be changing with the industry itself starting to look very different.
Notes
U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT Report to Congress: Decarbonizing U.S. Transportation, “Executive Summary,” Jul. 2024, p. 1
Ibid. Introduction, section “1.1 U.S. Emissions Reduction Goals,” p. 4
Updated: Sept. 20, 2024 at 9:12 a.m. PDT.
Image data: California High-Speed Rail Authority/Wikimedia Commons
All material copyrighted 2024, Alan Kandel. All Rights Reserved.