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Green Transport

 

With the world making a transition to greener energy alternatives, global transport is no exception. If we are going to successfully tackle the problems of poor air quality and air pollution, then adapting to cleaner energy as regards transportation cannot be however overemphasized.

First of all, there is a need to redesign our urban cities and centers. Having an urban paradigm shift as regards urban and regional planning is what we need right now, to ensure that our cities are planned in such a way that we do not need to commute unnecessarily to meet our immediate and domestic needs. Residential housing, offices, schools, libraries, shopping malls, convenience stores, churches; post offices etc., can be built in such a way,  that we can reach these places within walking distances. The need to drive or travel would only be necessary when going on long trips. 

Urban shift is a conference being organized by the Global Environment Facility on September 21, 2021, which has been designed to address the issues of sustainable urban planning and housing. I believe this looming concept of green transport which has slowly begun to reckon with stakeholders in the environment, will be at forefront of matters discussed in relation to environmental sustainability.

Secondly, the complete switch to hybrid and electric cars has to take immediate effect. Cars dependent on fossil fuels account for a quarter of air pollution experienced globally today. And this is responsible for the rising cases of asthma and other respiratory related diseases. Hybrid or electric cars pollute far less than petrol cars. It is mandatory that the transition to this kind of transport takes place with immediate effect. For example, Chinese companies have already committed to zero emission vehicles fleet by 2025. In Colombia, the city of Monteria has already built 42km of bike  lanes and has a thriving public bike rental network with 11,000 users! Also, railway tracks can be electrified instead of the continuous dependence on diesel trains. There’s actually no time left for new polluting vehicles to keep rolling out of our factories any longer.

The United Nations is at the forefront of this unique development as they are planning a sustainable transport conference, next month,  October in Beijing, China.  The event will bring together major players in the transport industry as they will be focusing on how to plan and develop transport systems that work which will boost economic growth, reduce inequalities and  improve the environment for everyone. 

We must all join hands to ensure that these plans and policies already in the pipeline will find expression and come to fruition even on our environmental watch. 

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