The world has been moving towards a greener lifestyle in the past few years trying to cut down the global emission rates of greenhouse gases in order to control the rapidly changing climate caused due to the depletion of the ozone layer. Many of the traditional ways which are profit-oriented and not looking to its effects on the environment has proven hazardous to humans, plants and other animals as well due to their side effects such as pollution.
With the onset of the global pandemic, it has been widely documented that the pandemic has accelerated quite a few forces which were already in play before it began which includes digitalization and flexible working models. One segment which deserves more attention because of its long-term implications on sustainability is the transport infrastructure around the world.
It is estimated as per the Global Infrastructure Outlook that more than $2 trillion of transport infrastructure investments is needed each year until 2040 to fuel economic development worldwide. The Rapid urbanization, surge in demand for freight services, and importantly the COVID-19 response stimulus plans in many countries are putting pressure on many stakeholders to step up the pace of infrastructure development. Though the pandemic had temporarily pushed people out of urban areas in places like Europe and the United States of America into more rural areas, The latest data points to people like professionals and students going back to these urban areas in order to resume their normal life of studies and office jobs.
It’s now highly critical for the stakeholders to work together to devise ways in which they can transform infrastructure building to become more sustainable prior to the contractors starting to improve the current infrastructure, or break ground and build airports and ports, lay fresh railway tracks, and pave new roads. The transport industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse-gas emissions in the European Union and accounts for almost 28 per cent of the total emission. Other industries are gradually taking steps to meaningfully reduce their emissions whereas the transport industry is still continuing to report around 0.8 per cent growth in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, with passenger cars accounting for the highest portion.
So, what can be done in order to bring these figures down gradually?
- For starters, many of the nations across the globe have started to promote EV’s in their respective countries and carmakers such as Volvo Tesla and the rest have started large scale production of these vehicles in many countries.
- Another way of tackling this situation is by using sustainable means to improve infrastructure such as roads etc. Using the latest cutting-edge technology can reduce the emission created during the construction of such infrastructure. If sustainable and lasting materials are used, such infrastructure can have better usage life and prevent wastage of resources which are needed to repair them.
- Public transportation should be made available to all with ease so that they depend on it more and thereby cutting the emission down in terms of lesser vehicles being used. It should be affordable to them as well as boost the public transport segment.
- Finding more efficient ways in transporting goods and other materials to companies and other industries. Currently many of these goods are not transported efficiently due to the lack of infrastructure in rural areas and other such areas.
The above mentioned are just some points to get the sustainability factor going. There are many similar efficient ways to ensure sustainable transportation like using solar energy for energy purposes etc. Its time for the global transportation trends to change for the good or it may be too late to save the planet from the on coming disaster.
Image credit: wsp.com
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