The Environmental Impacts of Transportation

The environment is the world around us, which provides for our life support requirements (a life or death question), and for all additional commodities we might fancy (raw materials, landscapes, landfills). Humans are living beings and we need to connect with the environment for mass, momentum, energy, and information transfer. Our activity transforms the Earth surface, expropriating nature to build settlements, railways, communications, and water reservoirs. Therefore, by the end of the 20^th century a scientific consensus has been reached on the negative impact of human activities at global scale, as the oncoming biosphere change, with far reaching threats. Knowing that the Earth will go around no matter how severely we may change our environment should be of little comfort: we want to stay for long.

Transport is the only sector in which greenhouse gas emissions have consistently risen since 1990, and current transport patterns are clearly environmentally unsustainable. As well as contributing to climate change, the growth in congestion on our roads, accidents, air pollution, and noise pollution of transport all lead to substantial costs that are borne by people, business, and society. The share of fossil fuel used in the transport sector varies widely from region to region and city to city. Transport poses a dilemma in that it is necessary for economic and social development, yet it is associated with environmental degradation, especially with regard to atmospheric pollution.

The transport sector accounts for about 25 % of total commercial energy consumed worldwide, and consume approximately one-half of total oil produced. Different modes of transport pollute the environment differently. Rail only accounts for 0.6% for diesel emissions and for less than 2% including emissions for electricity production. For passenger transport, going by rail is on average 4 times more efficient than taking the automobile and more than 3 times better than taking the plane. CO₂ emissions from rail are almost 8 times less than lorries and 4 times less than inland waterways.

The analysis of air pollution by different transport services in Russia shows that diesel locomotives operations at the rail yard have been determined to be a significant source of emissions of diesel particulate matter and other pollutants. New combustion technologies, efficient transmission systems and exhaust after-treatment will ensure that rail diesel traction will remain more environmentally friendly in the future than road and inland waterways. Electrification of remaining lines is also one of the many approaches that may be taken. Thus, rail transport presents challenges as society tries to ensure a more environmentally sustainable future.

Exercise 3. Explain the following statements. Work in pairs.

1) Human society affects the environment both positively and negatively.

2) Current transport patterns are clearly environmentally unsustainable.

3) Rail transport presents challenges as society tries to ensure a more environmentally sustainable future.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30