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Congestion tax acts as a huge disincentive for private vehicle users and
encourages them to use other modes of transport. It also ensures that,
for those who have to use the roads, journey times are quicker and more
reliable.
The environmental benefits are reduction in vehicular emissions, and oil
and fuel consumption. The potential financial benefits include time,
money, and vehicle operation and maintenance costs saved by people using
public transport.
Switching to mass transport will also generate more revenue. London is
the largest city to have adapted a congestion charge model (as of 2006).
Drivers pay UK£8 per day if they drive in Central London during the
scheme’s hours of operation. Failure to pay the charge means a fine of
at least UK£50.
If such a tax is applied in Delhi…
On an average around 200 cars and 150 two wheelers get registered
here every day. Even if the vehicle owners are taxed Rs.10 per day
(leave alone UK£8), imagine the financial contribution each day.
A
zero carbon economy is the one in which the use of
carbon fuels is zero. The economy runs on renewable
sources of energy, which are used efficiently
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NATURAL GAS
Hope for the future
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Natural gas is essentially 80 to 90 per cent methane and
occurs naturally in underground reserves.
As it contains small amounts of carbon and more hydrogen
than other liquid fuels, less carbon dioxide is produced
for the same amount of energy consumed.
For using it in cars, it is either compressed as
compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied as liquefied
natural gas (LNG). CNG is the most common form.
The natural gas vehicle (NGV) market is growing at the
rate of one million vehicles per year globally. South
Asia has 23 per cent of this fleet. Indian cities are
increasingly exploring the option of using NGVs.
Regulations and court orders are mandating the NGV
market.
Despite initial setbacks, India’s first CNG conversion
programme in Delhi is now fully established with more
than 90,000 NGVs including 10,694 buses. Ahmedabad,
Lucknow, Kanpur and Hyderabad are now introducing CNG.
Mumbai and Gujarat also have CNG programmes. |
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As climate change kicks in and the demand for energy begins to outstrip
supply, the world is now exploring methods to save itself. Transforming
into a zero-carbon economy is one option.
The reasons behind this
change are quite obvious now. Fossil fuels are finite, and their burning
has a disastrous impact on our environment through global warming.
Therefore, it adversely affects long-term economic sustainability. And
as gas and oil prices rise inexorably, sustainability is high on the
political agenda. While zero-carbon economy remains the target, the
world is trying to achieve the lowest possible level of carbon use.
This requires: a progressive shift to lower carbon fuels, a more
efficient use of energy, and the introduction of renewable energy
sources.
Lower carbon fuels
There are broadly two options: using zero-emissions technology such
as electric two- and three-wheelers, or implementing gaseous fuel
programmes. Asian cities, unlike the industrialised West, which is fast
dispensing with the need to take a fuel-based approach, will continue to
depend on fuel substitution strategy.
This essentially means using low carbon fuels such as natural gas and
mainly replacing diesel and petrol.
Efficient use of energy
Whatever option is chosen, the key is to use the Efficient judicious
Introduction Renewable inexhaustible,
 free.
Solar, biomass and geothermal all renewable sources. Nuclear energy,
though much debated, falls under category. to use the available energy
efficiently. Efficient use includes optimal and judicious use of energy.
Introduction of renewable energy
Renewable sources of energy are inexhaustible, clean and carbon free.
Solar, wind, wave, biomass and geothermal are all renewable sources.
Nuclear energy, though much debated, also falls under this category.
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6: Ecological Footprint |
