Transport’s biggest polluters, including Metro Trains, V/Line and Toll Transport, have been revealed to have outdated emissions reductions targets that undermine the Victorian state Labor government’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
It comes as the Labor government of Premier Daniel Andrews is poised to announce its first-ever transport emissions targets in early August, with climate action groups pushing for a “wholesale shift” in the sector’s energy use.
Not just in Victoria but across the country, transport emissions are growing faster than in any other sector since 1990 in the face of economic growth and urbanisation.
The sector is the second largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in Victoria, making up a fifth of the state’s total emissions.
The Age newspaper reports road-based transport, cars, trucks and buses, that still largely depend on fossil fuels is the key problem, accounting for 90 per cent of all transport emissions.
However, public transport operators are also among the country’s biggest transport emitters, the first comprehensive report tracking Australian transport emissions reveals.
About 70 per cent of Australia’s major transport operators including Metro Trains, Keolis Australia, V/Line and Transdev have policies that are out of step with Victoria’s net zero emissions goal by 2050, the ClimateWorks report shows.
Metro Trains was listed as Victoria’s biggest public transport emitter, but was still behind Sydney Trains.
Metro was followed by Keolis Australia, which operates Melbourne’s trams, V/Line and Transdev.
None of these operators have up-to-date climate policies.
Qantas, which was named in the analysis as the country’s biggest transport emitter, was the only company to commit to the target, which is considered a key element of the United Nations sponsored Paris Agreement to reduce global temperatures to well below two degrees Celsius.
Freight and logistics companies Aurizon, Toll and Linfox were listed as major emitters that have outmoded climate targets.
The Age reports ClimateWorks’ senior project manager Michael Li said large public transport and government vehicle fleets provided ample opportunity to reduce emissions which would send a signal to vehicle and component manufacturers and battery suppliers.
“There’s an opportunity for the public transport operators to use that scale and fleet purchasing power to stimulate the demand for low vehicle emissions in Australia.”
In a briefing paper submitted to government ahead of the state releasing its delayed 2025 and 2030 emissions targets, Environment Victoria has called for an end to the state’s love affair with cars, which contribute to half of all transport emissions.
“That’s not a small slice of the pie,” campaigns manager Dr Nicholas Aberle said in calling for a “wholesale shift” in transport’s energy use.
A major investment in public transport was needed to encourage people to use trains, trams and buses over the construction of major highways that lock Melbourne in to a dependence on cars, he said.
However, the Labor government and public transport operators must work together to lower public transport emissions, Dr Aberle said.
“Metro Trains could be running on 100 per cent renewable energy through these power purchase agreements in the same way that our trams are.
“It would be great to see the government require this in the next round of tenders.”
Australia’s road vehicles make up one of the most energy-intensive fleets in the world, 45 per cent higher than Europe, but the country is the only one of six in the OECD that does not regulate vehicle emissions.
This was desperately needed Mr Aberle said, and would not only improve the environment but save Victorians money on fuel.
A congestion charge for cars entering the city should be considered as well as incentives for people to buy electric vehicles such as the removal of car registration and priority lanes on major highways, he said.
The Age report a state government spokeswoman said the transport emissions reduction pledges would “set an ambitious roadmap to reduce emissions across the transport sector”.
“The Metro Tunnel, Airport Rail and the Suburban Rail Loop will run more trains than Victoria has ever seen, taking cars off our roads and helping Victorians get where they need to go.”
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