Intractable problem or attractive opportunity: Reducing urban transport use in New Zealand cities - an international comparision

Bachels, M., Newman, P. and Kenworthy, J. (1998) Intractable problem or attractive opportunity: Reducing urban transport use in New Zealand cities - an international comparision. In: Proceedings of Solar '98 the 36th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society, 25 - 27 November, Christchurch, New Zealand pp. 208-216.

Abstract

Transport related greenhouse gas emissions are proving to be one of the most intractable areas for nations to find ways of responding to the Kyoto agreements. Rather than just looking at technological efficiency there is a need to look at urban efficiency in terms of how land use and transport are integrated, the level of travel that settlement patterns generate and the kind of priorities that are in operation in terms of transport infrastructure provision.

Data have been gathered on Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to compare factors on urban transport and land use transport energy use, and transport economic investment and network efficiency for New Zealand's main cities as similar data collected in over 35 cities throughout the world.

In this paper, comparison of urban transport and land use characteristics, and associated transport energy use are made. Results indicate that in transport energy and greenhouse gas contributions, New Zealand cities are more energy efficient than cities in the United States, Australia and Canada, but less efficient than European and Asian cities. Arguments are also presented that appropriate land use is one of the key policy tools for reducing transport energy demand.

Item Type:	Conference Paper
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/25292

Item Control Page

Downloads