INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Driving more slowly, turning down the air-conditioning, car-free Sundays and working from home should be adopted as emergency measures to
reduce the global demand for oil, according to a 10-point plan from the International Energy Agency (IEA).Such measures and changes to
currently close to 100m bpd, helping to ease sky-high oil prices hurting consumers and reduce reliance on Kremlin-controlled
advanced economies immediately, and estimated how much oil they would save by doing so.Reduce speed limits on highways by at least 10
limits can be implemented by national governments; many countries did so during the 1973 oil crisis, including the United States and several
Pre-pandemic, the use of private vehicles to commute was responsible for about 2.7m barrels of oil use a day, the IEA said, yet about
one-third of those jobs could be done from home.Car-free Sundays in citiesEvery Sunday saves about 380,000 bpd; one Sunday a month saves
Switzerland, the Netherlands and West Germany did this during the 1973 oil crisis and some cities have used the measure to promote public
Benefits include cleaner air, reduced noise pollution and improved road safety, the IEA report said.Make public transport cheaper and
incentivise walking and cyclingSaves about 330,000 bpd
New Zealand is halving public transport fares for the next three months in response to high fuel prices, while studies in the US have shown
cheaper fares lead to greater use
Some governments have incentivised people to walk or subsidised bike purchases
All of this would require government subsidy.Alternate private car access to roads in large cities (eg every other day)Saves about 210,000
For example, cars whose number plate ends with an odd number can drive on Monday and those with an even number can drive on Tuesdays
Such schemes have been deployed to tackle congestion and air pollution peaks in Athens, Madrid, Paris, Milan and Mexico City
Exceptions could be made for electric vehicles
One downside is that households with multiple cars could game the rules.Increase car-sharing and adopt practices to reduce fuel useSaves
Carpooling has long been used as a way to save money and reduce emissions
Governments can incentivise this with dedicated traffic lanes and parking spaces, or by reducing road tolls on higher occupancy vehicles
Many smartphone apps exist to arrange ride-shares
Cars are more inefficient if poorly maintained or driven at an incorrect tyre pressure
The IEA also found that air conditioning can account for 4% to 10% of fuel use, so recommends setting the thermostat three degrees higher on
hot days.Promote efficient driving for freight trucks and delivery of goodsSaves about 320,000 bpd
reducing excess weight and not slowing down or speeding up abruptly
Loads should also be optimised to avoid journeys with empty vehicles.Using high-speed and night trains instead of planesSaves about 40,000
Based on existing high-speed rail infrastructure, about 2% of flights in advanced economies could be shifted to trains, according to the IEA
Almost all of this involves flights of less than 800km.Avoid business air travel where alternative options existSaves about 260,000 bpd
The IEA recommends virtual meetings where possible and points out that firms such as HSBC, Zurich Insurance and S-P Global plan to cut their
business travel emissions by as much as 70%.Reinforce the adoption of electric and more efficient vehiclesSaves about 100,000 bpd
By the end of last year, 8.4m electrical vehicles (EVs) were on the road in advanced economies but the IEA urged faster adoption
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
