Rail has long been hailed as the cleanest means of public transport. HS2’s demise will undermine the UK’s ability to improve its rail infrastructure and potentially lead to greater inequality.
The tools and technologies to decarbonise freight transport in New Zealand are available now. The problem lies in their integration and the understanding of potential trade-offs.
Converting to electric cars is going to take time. With transport being Australia’s fastest-growing source of emissions, action on all fronts – road, rail, sea and aviation – is needed.
Green hydrogen produced using New Zealand’s mostly renewable electricity sounds like a great idea, but a high-tech smart rail and urban tram network is a more obvious and sustainable option.