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The greening of the passenger car might not deliver such positive sustainability news – So what do we have to do?

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  • Hensher, David A.

Abstract

As we promote the need to reduce emissions at the tailpipe for cars, trucks, and buses, we may be neglecting the full story on what this might mean for achieving a broad set of sustainability goals. While not denying the merits of reducing tailpipe emissions, there are many unresolved questions about the indirect emission impacts as well as other sustainability impacts such as traffic congestion. This short paper attempts to place the debate within a wider setting if only to achieve more than what we see governments at all levels including the political process and the bureaucracy that serve politicians, too often myopically focussing on. This paper has many objectives, one of which is to confront the mistakes and biased analysis commonly provided by many, but not all, governments, and to highlight the contributions that should be made by independent thought leaders.

Suggested Citation

  • Hensher, David A., 2024. "The greening of the passenger car might not deliver such positive sustainability news – So what do we have to do?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:179:y:2024:i:c:s096585642300352x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2023.103932
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hensher, David A. & Wei, Edward & Liu, Wen, 2021. "Battery electric vehicles in cities: Measurement of some impacts on traffic and government revenue recovery," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. David A. Hensher, 2020. "Electric cars – they may in time increase car use without effective road pricing reform and risk lifecycle carbon emission increases," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(3), pages 265-266, May.
    3. Buberger, Johannes & Kersten, Anton & Kuder, Manuel & Eckerle, Richard & Weyh, Thomas & Thiringer, Torbjörn, 2022. "Total CO2-equivalent life-cycle emissions from commercially available passenger cars," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
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