Right now, life is very challenging. I don't even know if I'm going to make it till the end of the month, never mind 3 years away.
We will survive COVID-19. We will need to pick up the pieces.
In this time of enforced restrictions, perhaps we will all be reviewing our way of life. Why not a transport health check?
The satellite images, of before and after COVID-19 enforced Lockdowns, in pollution hot spots, like in China, India and in Europe, clearly indicate that transport has a significant impact on the pollution levels across the world.
This is quite significant, as it's something we can change, with "relatively" little disruption, to our lives. The technology is already out there.
ALL vehicles globally, be replaced with more sustainable alternatives? In 3years.Is it possible?
Consumers, and governments, would need to drive the change. Perhaps, it's an opportunity, to review our transport networks.
The Gradual approach
It's an issue that we have all been aware of, for the past twenty years. The gradual approach, still hasn't worked.
The above images are evidence of it. Weather patterns, clearly indicate this too. The country side is impacted too. One part of the ecosystem eventually impacts the other.
A lot of public transport has been made more sustainable, and cleaner. There are already policies, related to do this, in several countries. The local and rural services seem to need the most work, to be more reliable, and cater for demand.
Most delivery/logistics firms have already made a concerted effort to do this. Air travel. There are greener alternatives. Honestly speaking, air lines will have to adapt, to consumers' needs.
Yet this gradual effort has not been enough. We can see it in the satellite images, clearly.
Ten years later, Here we are still with substantially polluted cities, and countries. With more frequent respiratory conditions, and other retaliated ailments, that haven't been proven as yet. Petrol, has it’s cost implications, of course.
More significant change is needed. Our health needs it. The environment needs it.
Is now the time for the definitive change? Why not?
We will recover as a population from COVID-19. Life will not be the same, post COVID-19. Change is the only constant.
That is exactly, why we have to think of the future. To prevent another disaster. For our and future generations.
The situation with the environment, is another disaster, round the corner. In this lifetime. It's difficult to imagine, but the impact will be far more damaging than COVID-19.
Health. Economy. Transport.
We will all need to adapt these, to survive. Reviewing the transport we use, is something We can ALL do.Now.
It will have a significant benefit for the environment. Health. Economical too.
It’s Difficult in this challenging time to think of the environment?
3 months ago, we couldn't imagine all cites to be in Lockdown, due to our collective health. Yet, here we are.
As a result, we will all be reviewing our way of life. Why not a transport health check?
What definitive change?
Switch completely, to more sustainable forms of transport within 3years. 1 year for land-based transport. All vehicles. That's crazy. Is it?
Electric Cars are already there. The blocker is getting consumers to switch to them.
Air travel. It's not a great leap of imagination, to make air travel, completely sustainable, is it? The lifecycle of aeroplanes, is more than 5 years. Perhaps filtering the emissions, perhaps a drastic overhaul for all airlines? Shipping too? Maybe it will be challenging there.
All consumers to insist on a sustainable mode of transport for their journeys. Directly, and indirectly. 3years.
It may not be considered a short term change, but in terms of generations of people living on the planet, it is.
Setting an Example.
We all like the convenience and speed, petrol engines bring. If it works, why change it?It's not working though, is it? Depends on your definition of working. How is damaging the environment and us "working"?
F1 has been in the news lately. The companies, already know they have to adapt. There have been green events, Formula-E, that has been launched in the last few years. I have had personal experience, and know that the events, so far have been extremely successful. Formula 1, may not be a significant contributor to pollution. Yet switching to Formula-E does make sense. It also sets an example. For the masses.
All of us Consumers can drive this change. Perhaps in as little as 3 years. Too ambitious? Maybe. Maybe not.
Summary
Right now, life is very challenging. Don't ask me to think about 3 years away. We will recover as a population. We will have to pick up the pieces.
And that is exactly why we have to think of the future. Learn the lessons. To prevent another disaster.
For this and future generations. And act Now. Post COVID-19, we will all have to adapt to survive. Why not review the transport?
Would making replacing ALL vehicles globally, more sustainable alternative, in 3 years work?
Would it lead to a significant reduction in pollution levels? I encourage you to look at the before/after satellite images. Here is an article that depicts the situation (perhaps, Not a definitive scientific, source. There is other research out there.). Yes. The data seems to indicate it would, on a global level.
Maybe the timeline is too ambitious. I don’t have all the data. Yet ten years gradual change hasn't provided the solution. Is Now, the time for a more definitive change, along with the rest of our lives?
If we ALL switched, definitively to more sustainable vehicles, together with a reduction in the number of journeys.
A relatively, quick win for the environment, thanks to the last fifteen years of engineering and consumer behaviour change, for our and future generations.
Is it time for a good change, as something, to be gained, from this awful Pandemic? For the environment. For our health. For our future.
Maybe it’s worth considering.
Update: I have recently learned that Aviation industry did have a project to find a more sustainable fuel source, however it was abandoned, five years ago, because it wasn't economically viable, as the solution would take 15-20 years, to find. Perhaps now, is a good time to review the situation.