Why do policy makers focus on car emmissions and not (seemingly) much more impactful factors like trucking and commute by car?
In: 1
First off, what are the emissions of cars vs trucks? In the UK at least, cars account for about 52% of greenhouse gas emissions, cans 16% and HGVs 19% ([see here](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-2022/transport-and-environment-statistics-2022#:~:text=These%20estimates%20suggest%20that%20domestic,gas%20emissions%20are%205.2%25%20lower.)). Now that doesn’t necessarily mean that reducing HGV or van emissions isn’t easier than doing the same for cars or that other kinds of pollutants aren’t worse from them; that’s a technical question I don’t know the answer to.
Why focus on reducing emissions rather than changing work/commuting patterns, that’s an interesting one. On the whole politicians will prefer scientific/technical solutions over anything that involves changing people’s behaviour. Because that’s what most people prefer. Sometimes it is the more effective option, too. Changing people’s behaviour is almost always difficult, whereas regulation can sometimes spur quick technological improvements.
Politically it’s much easier to go “we’ll get car manufacturers to solve this problem (for a bit extra cost) and you don’t have to do anything” than “you (voter) are going to have to drive less.” It’s also often easier to push that problem onto manufacturers than take responsibility for creating and funding effective public transport systems. This can also be positioned politically as a more “market based” solution, rather than one that involves raising taxes or more visible government action (those emissions regulations are mostly in the background, for manufacturers to deal with, whereas a new rail line – that’s very visible).
Latest Answers