Insights

Earlier this year, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) published its policy position on active travel and a further policy position on e-scooters. Hannah Bartram, Chief Operating Officer for ADEPT talks about the importance of active travel and argues that it is key to economic and environmental recovery. Active travel…

What does the UK need to do to demonstrate the kind of leadership the world needs? The pandemic may have distracted attention from the climate crisis, but the imperative of tackling that overwhelming threat has far from diminished. Through its presidency of COP 26 its hosting of the G7 next year, the UK is uniquely…

Transport planners, we have failed. In the past decade, there has been little to no progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from surface transport in the UK. Due to reductions in emissions from other sectors, it is now the highest-emitting sector in our economy. Okay, that may be a bit harsh. Transport planners have actually…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing, on business, the economy and transport, climate change has taken a bit of a back seat. It’s easy to forget that the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) was originally to take place less than two…

Without the distractions that tend to make life hectic the recent lockdown has provided an opportunity for reflection and contemplation and a chance to gain a deeper, perhaps more insightful, perspective of the issues that confront us all. I used the occasion to spend some of the enforced confinement in expanding the range of my…

It is super-welcome to see decarbonisation rise up the political agenda. Better late than never. Yet it is of course neither a new topic nor the first time it has come to prominence in the UK. The solutions that enable us to cut greenhouse gas emissions are mostly not new either. What would be new…

Would you decide the fate of today’s young and future generations on the toss of coin? No, nor would I. But that’s exactly what we are doing when it comes to climate change. The UK’s recently declared target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is undoubtedly a step up in ambition; yet, as the…

How do we get to net zero? The easy bit is passing the legislation for a 2050 net zero target. The difficult bit is working out what needs to be done, and how to make a difference to global warming. The Climate Change Committee tells us that “by reducing emissions produced in the UK to…

Chances are you or someone you know has uttered the words ‘my next car will be electric‘.  And why not? The environmental benefits of electric vehicles (EV) are clear and significant global investment is carrying EVs into the mainstream.  However, much like road testing a car, one size does not fit all.  The logistics sector…

In the next ten years, if all goes to plan, we could see the sale of new diesel and petrol cars phased out in this country as part of wider efforts to decarbonise our transport system in the quest to address the climate emergency. But what about our health in the meantime? Legal limits for…

We are at a critical juncture with transport, and how we approach the myriad challenges of rebuilding from Covid-19 has far-reaching consequences. People’s eyes have been opened to the difference it makes if we have quieter streets, if we walk or cycle more, and if we interact and pull together locally. Opportunities have opened up…

There’s no getting around it: when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, transport is not doing well. In the UK, domestic transport emits more carbon than any other sector, but the good news is that the Government has recognised this and resolved to act through its Decarbonising Transport Plan. Back in March, when it announced…