Even with cleaner cars and better fuels, if we don't start driving less altogther, we won't be able to reduce heat-trapping gas emissions enough to avoid dangerous impacts from climate change.
Providing people with cleaner alternatives to driving isn't just good for the planet. It's also good for our pocketbooks. When gas prices increase, families aren't hit as hard if they can walk, bike or take public transit. Unfortunately, Americans who don't have those options end up being forced to shoulder the burden of higher gas prices. This is an especially important issue for low-income Americans, as the working poor already spend a disproportionate share of their income on transportation.
Rethinking and improving the way we plan for our cities to grow and change, can lead to big reductions in driving. Across the country, such planning could save up to $260 billion in gas costs through 2030 and lead to dramatic pollution reductions -- as much as 80 million metric tons of carbon dioxide savings.
And this is JUST from smarter land-use planning -- this excludes investments in public transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, congestion pricing, and other smart transportation policies. If we create new bicycling lanes and pedestrian walkways, improve transit systems, and encourage people to let go of their cars, we can achieve even higher reductions.
Friends of the Earth advocates using revenue generated by national climate legislation to support transit, smart growth, and capacity building. The failed Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 would have dedicated about $1 billion per year to transit, which was a good start, but more is needed.
It is very important for any climate bill that becomes law to include funding for smart growth, bicycle and pedestrian lanes and walkways, and mass transit. This funding can set the stage for climate-friendly federal transportation bill.
Historically, transportation bills have dedicated over 80 percent of federal transportation funding to roads and highways, using funding formulas that increase vehicle miles traveled and fuel use, and lead to the construction of unnecessary new roads. Such bills have also created high hurdles for public transit investments, as environmental and economic benefits from such investments have not been considered.
This year brings us the next Transportation Bill. Elected officials must be accountable for how the next $250-300 billion is spent and level the playing field between roads and transit. They should connect transportation planning to land use planning and consider global warming and oil dependence impacts.
An ideal transportation bill will take into account the environmental, public health, and economic benefits of smart investments and will expand and standardize scenario-planning, data and modeling, rewarding performance not politicking.
When President Obama announced his plans for the 2009 economic stimulus package, he said that he wanted the stimulus to be green. That is, he wanted the stimulus to help our economy and also be good for the environment. However, the road-building lobby sought funding for unnecessary new roads that would lead to new pollution. Friends of the Earth waged a campaign to keep the stimulus clean, and we demonstrated that it's transportation investments that are good for the planet are also good for the economy. Learn more about this campaign at http://www.roadtonowhere.org.
