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A Billion Cars on the Road

AS THE GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PASSENGER CARS RISES, SO DO THE RELATED CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS.  A NEW STUDY PREDICTS TROUBLE DOWN THE ROAD ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

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WHILE AT THE POTSDAM INSTITUTE OF CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH IN THE U-K, RESEARCHER INA MEYER USED POPULATION GROWTH ESTIMATES AND DISPOSABLE INCOME TRENDS TO PREDICT THE FUTURE DEMAND FOR PASSENGER CARS.  HER CONCLUSIONS? WITHIN FIFTY YEARS, THE WORLD’S CAR FLEET WILL GROW FROM SIX HUNDRED MILLION TO MORE THAN A BILLION, CAUSING A HUGE INCREASE IN RELATED C-0-TWO EMISSIONS.

MEYER: THIS IS QUITE CHALLENGING FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT OTHER ENERGY CONSUMING SECTORS CANNOT COMPENSATE FOR THE GROWTH IN THESE TRANSPORT-RELATED CO2 EMISSIONS.

NEW TECHNOLOGY COULD HELP MITIGATE THESE EMISSIONS, BUT MEYER’S CALCULATIONS SHOW THAT THE BENEFITS WILL BE OUTWEIGHED BY RAPID TRANSPORTATION GROWTH.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS. LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM.  

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