[sustran] Debate on costs of CO2 reduction from vehicles (fwd)

[Paul Barter]

An interesting exchange just seen on the utsg list:

>Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 12:44:52 +0200 (MET DST)
>Subject: STRATEGY TO REDUCE CO2
>From: Richard DARBERA <darbera at descartes.enpc.fr>
>To: utsg at mailbase.ac.uk
>Sender: utsg-request at mailbase.ac.uk
>
>I am looking for two sources quoted in a statement from the AIT and the
>FIA: A GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS FROM PASSENGER CARS AND
>IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY available at the Canadian Automobile Association'
>Website
>
>"For example, the UK government claims that its promise to increase motor
>fuel taxes by 6% annually in real terms is part of its commitment to the
>climate change convention. However, research by the AA*** shows that this
>policy is costing £2,000 for each ton of carbon taken from the atmosphere..
>And yet work done by the Institute of Ecology and Resource Management at
>the Edinburgh University*** shows that the same effect could have been
>achieved through tree planting (carbon sequestration) schemes at just £0.50
>for each ton of carbon removed. This clearly shows that increasing the cost
>of motor fuel to achieve CO2 stabilization is the most expensive, and one
>which has no economic literacy. Taxation on vehicle ownership and use
>should be reviewed so that it supports transport, economic, environmental
>and social policies."
>
>** Could anyone give me the full references of the original papers from
>Edinburgh University and the AA, and tell me where I could get them.
>
>Comments on these statements are also very much welcome!
>
>Thank you.
>
>Richard Darbéra
>CNRS - LATTS
>Ecole Nationale des Ponts & Chaussées
>Cité Descartes - Champs-sur-Marne
>77455 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2
>France
>Telephone 33.1.6415.3834
>Fax 33.1.6415.3847
>e-mail darbera at enpc.fr


THEN A RESPONSE FROM TODD LITMAN

>Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 08:54:34 -0700
>Subject: Re: STRATEGY TO REDUCE CO2
>From: Todd Litman <litman at islandnet.com>
>To: Richard DARBERA <darbera at descartes.enpc.fr>
>Cc: utsg at mailbase.ac.uk
>Sender: utsg-request at mailbase.ac.uk
>
>I would like to see the Edinburgh University paper too. The
>automobile/petroleum industries have sponsored a number of papers claiming
>very high costs of CO2 reduction, but these typically:
>
>1. Ignore potential economically beneficial use of the revenue (i.e., a
>reduction in taxes on labor or business activity).
>
>2. Assume that there will be no new energy efficiency technologies or
>policies resulting from these new price incentives.
>
>3. Ignore additional benefits associated with reduced fuel consumption
>(such as reduced local air emissions), and transportation demand management
>benefits (such as reduced traffic congestion, road and parking facility
>costs, accident reductions, etc.)
>
>For a good recent technical analysis of the economic impacts of increased
>fuel taxes see Dr. Douglas Norland and Kim Ninassi, "Price It Right; Energy
>Pricing and Fundamental Tax Reform," Alliance to Save Energy (Washington
>DC; www.ase.org), 1998. A good popular book on the subject is Alan Durning
>and Yoram Bauman, "Tax Shift," Northwest Environment Watch (Seattle;
>www.northwestwatch.org), 1998. For a discussion of economically efficient
>strategies for reducing vehicle emissions see our papers "Win-Win
>Transportation Demand Management Strategies" and "Socially Optimal
>Transport Prices and Markets," Victoria Transport Policy Institute
>(Victoria; www.islandnet.com/~litman), 1998.
>
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Todd Litman, Director
>Victoria Transport Policy Institute
>"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
>1250 Rudlin Street
>Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
>Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560
>E-mail:      litman at islandnet.com
>Website:     www.islandnet.com/~litman