Railway Transportation - an Efficient Solution For Noxious Emissions

 

During 13 - 24 November, ministers and diplomats from 180 countries met at the Hague World Conference aimed at seeking out remedies for the noxious emissions that contribute to the creation of the greenhouse effect and that are a main cause for climatic changes noticed by the scientific community and a risk to the future of the planet.

During the UN Convention in 1992 and the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, a wold-wide strategy dealing with such problems was approved. Although steps have been taken in the direction of safeguarding the ecology, the percentage of noxious gaseous emissions is growing constantly and dangerously. Statistics show that transportation is the main cause of the ill effects on the ecology, covering 27% of CO2 emissions in the OCDE countries and, 25% in the European Union, 30% in the United States, 22% in Japan, 17% in Africa and 34% in South America. According to a recent report filed by Ecofys and the Fraunhofer Institute, almost none of the European countries monitored respect the pledges they took at the Kyoto Protocol to reduce CO2 emissions. This report recommends that action be taken in the transportation field especially - a sector that represents a key segment within the noxious emission reduction policy. One of the most efficacious solutions in order to substantially reduce the emissions would be to divert as much traffic as possible to railway (especially in heavy populated areas). The qualities of railway transportation with regard to environment protection are uncontested. External costs calculated by consultants at INFRAS/WW for Europe showed that more that 92% of costs affected to the negative effects over the environment (accidents, pollution, climatic changes, noise, agglomerations) are due to road transportation and only 2% are caused by railway transportation. Trains also possess an energy efficiency that is far superior to other transportation methods. A good example would be the following: to transport one ton of freight over a distance of 100 km on the road will consume 2.2 liters of fuel. To transport the same amount over the same distance on the railroad will only burn 0.55 liters of fuel. CO2 emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption. Needless to say that railway transportation uses mainly electrical power (over 85% of European railways are electrified). Alternative sources can also be used. Industry and railway societies strive to improve procedures and protect the environment.

The Hague World Conference aimed to define operational methods for the Kyoto Protocol and to trigger concrete action, economically proficient and feasible to actively protect the environment. To attain such objectives it is imperative that states bring their policies up to date, to equilibrate the transportation market in favor of such methods that are lest intrusive on the environment. Such policies involve internationalizing external costs and enforcing a series of measures that will develop railway transport. Proposals for concrete action were included in the brochure Railways and climactic changes issued by IRU (International Railway Union) and ERC (European Railways Community) in October 2000. The text will be presented in the Railway Journal in the item Protecting the environment - a major issue for tomorrow’s Europe.

 

Ileana Statie reporting