The rapidly increasing climate change and the alarming situation of air pollution is a moment of tension for us to think about the future and take some urgent action. Among the numerous contributors to air pollution and greenhouse gases, transportation stands alone with more than 20% of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollution. The vehicles emitting gases like oxides of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrocarbons causing the climate change drastically. However, sustainable transport gives a beacon of hope to minimize these climate changes. Transportation serves as an integral part of our lives and hence the pressure of shifting to green transport increases as we see the statistics. Sustainable transport is not just about the tool of mobility rather it is in such a way that minimizes environmental degradation, moreover it can provide more systematic and contaminating means of reducing the ecological decline.
As we are trying to overcome the challenges of Climate Change and ozone depletion, sustainable transportation provides a Holistic approach; the primary concern of which is environmental protection. Using public transport such as buses and trains can be the first step to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and hence climate change. Public transport and some countries including Germany Japan South Korea and many other European countries use public transportation that works on electricity, which gives the benefit of no greenhouse gas emissions. These public vehicles vary from country to country for instance Electric buses, bullet trains are more common in Asian countries, and Trams are mostly seen in European countries. These vehicles usually move at a high speed and as a result, carry more passengers in less time contributing 0% in pollution. In addition, some countries that are not developed enough to use electric Technology public transport can still be a lifesaver because the use of this will reduce emissions to a certain level, as more people will use one vehicle instead of everyone using their own.
Using catalytic converters in cars can also serve as a crucial way to reduce climate change because most vehicles produce gases that are not fully combusted and are hazardous like carbon monoxide oxides and oxides of Nitrogen, but that catalytic converter provides full combustion of these harmful gases into separate molecules and less hazardous gases nitrogen and carbon dioxide respectively.
Hybrid vehicles can also be used to minimize ecological degradation as these vehicles contain special electric motors that work together with the engine to consume less fuel and release less toxic gases. These cars even save energy in batteries, which could have been wasted and used as fuel, which can be our first step to switching from common vehicles to less hazardous Hybrid electric vehicles. These cars play an important role in reducing pollution they are not very expensive as compared to electric vehicles and by using these hybrid cars we can take small steps towards a cleaner and cooler planet.
Biofuels are fuels made up of plants and organic material and are extracted from grown plants such as corn, sugarcane, wood logs, and even algae. These biofuels can be used in nearly all vehicles and as they are organic materials, they produce less or no greenhouse gases decreasing the pollution and hands making the environment cleaner. The biggest benefit of these fuels is that they are renewable and not like fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and take more than 1000 years to degrade.
Hydrogen fuels if used as a fuel I am its only water vapors as a by-product releasing no Greenhouse gases and making the climate more favorable for us. Cars, buses, and even some heavy vehicles can also work on hydrogen fuel. Even though this technology will face some challenges to overcome as if storage of hydrogen the hydrogen fuel holds a greener future if we work on it.
The use of active transport can also be a game changer in this alarming situation of Climate Change and this can be seen in countries like Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands where the governments promote the use of human power modes such as walking and cycling. Governments if provide specific lanes and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks can play its role in reducing air pollution to a minimum amount decreasing the effects of climate change.
Over there are numerous sustainable transportation methods on which our future depends. The climate is changing rapidly effects of which can be seen and the form of extreme weather floods and Glaciers melting. If the government as well as the citizens focus on the development of Sustainable transportation and use them instead of high pollution-forming vehicles, we will have a future more promising and healthier.
The writer is a student of “International Relations “at “International Islamic university Islamabad” and a member of PYDIR.