Motor vehicles and global warming

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA)

OSTI ID:6702351

Halberstadt, M L

Energy use in transportation is one of the contributors to the concern over global warming. The primary greenhouse gases released by the transportation sector are carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons. When all greenhouse gases are considered, CO{sub 2} emissions from the operation of highway vehicles worldwide represent about 4.7% of global warming enhancement. CO{sub 2} emissions from U.S. highway vehicles along represent about 2 to 2.5% of worldwide greenhouse gases. The use of CFCs in automotive air conditioning, in blowing foams for seats and padding and in the manufacture of electronic circuit boards accounted for 15% of the global usage of CFC-12 in 1985 according to the U.S. EPA. The Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association supports the phase-out of CFC use provided that safe substitutes are available and that adequate lead time is allowed for.They suggest that reduction of greenhouse gases would require planning on a global scope to be effective. One alternative they suggest for further study is a carbon fee for reducing emissions of carbon dioxide. This fee would be levied on each type of fossil fuel, proportional to its carbon content per unit of energy.

• OSTI ID: 6702351
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA) Vol. 40:3; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTROL
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
FREONS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANNING
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS
USES