S. Plotkin, Technologies and policies for controlling greenhouse gas emissions from the US automobile and light truck fleet, TRANSP Q, 53(2), 1999, pp. 7-30
The transportation sector produces slightly more than 30% of the greenhouse
gas emissions from the United States, with light-duty vehicles-automobiles
and light trucks-accounting for more than half of the sector's emissions.(
2) This makes the light-duty vehicle fleet an appealing target for carbon e
missions reductions undertaken in pursuit of satisfying the United States'
potential obligations under the Kyoto protocol. Furthermore, the current Li
ght-duty vehicle fleet is essentially fully dependent on petroleum for its
energy supply, so reductions in greenhouse gases will yield similar reducti
ons in U.S. oil use, an attractive proposition to those concerned about U.S
. dependence on petroleum imports.
Reducing light-duty greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum use can be accom
plished by increasing vehicle energy efficiency, shifting travel to more ef
ficient modes, reducing travel overall (by increasing the price of travel,
changing development patterns, or other means), changing fuels, and increas
ing vehicle occupancy. This article focuses on policies and technologies fo
r increasing vehicle energy efficiency, though policies that raise fuel pri
ces will encourage other physical measures, as well.