Emissions standards for trucks

In a piece of good news, the Canadian and American governments are rolling out new emissions standards for heavy vehicles, “including full-sized pickup trucks, delivery vehicles, buses, freight vehicles, service trucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks and tractor trailers.”

Trucking is one of the fastest growing causes of greenhouse gas emissions in North America:

The emissions from heavy trucks represent 6 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. They have been increasing more rapidly than emissions from any other source and grew by 63 per cent from 1990 to 2007 as compared to 26 per cent growth in overall Canadian emissions for the same period.

While regulating efficiency sector by sector risks being more costly than driving economy-wide reductions with a carbon tax, it is nonetheless a welcome measure. Hopefully, the efficiency improvements driven by these new regulations will actually reduce emissions, and not increase them via the rebound effect, by reducing the cost of trucking.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan