“Green” Cars Linked to Increased Driving:
Via Streetsblog Capitol Hill by Angie Schmitt
TreeHugger reports that sustainability superstar Sweden has observed a pattern in its quest to become fossil fuel free by 2020. Emissions from the transportation sector rose by 100,000 tons last year despite a movement toward low-emissions vehicles. Researchers found that while purchases of “green” cars reduced emissions on a per-car basis, a rise in miles driven caused an overall increase in polluting byproducts. The Swedish Transport Agency had this to say about the trend: “It is clear that more effective motors and biofuels are not enough to offset increased traffic — at the most these can only stabilize emissions levels. To achieve cuts will require a change of direction in the development of society and infrastructure. The car must be less important in favor of increased public transport, cycling, rail transport, and shipping.”