![]() “You still have a plan to increase the size of the industry … at a time when we should be making substantial reductions in emissions, particularly from the rich parts of the world.” The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – the UN body responsible for limiting the carbon footprint from international air travel – is introducing a scheme aiming to offset emissions by allowing airlines to purchase carbon credits rather than burn less fossil fuels.īroderick is sceptical of the scheme’s benefits. How can the aviation industry’s climate impact be regulated? “The increase in traffic has historically outpaced the improvements in technology,” says Dr John Broderick, who researches climate policy and international transport at the University of Manchester. Under a less optimistic scenario, a lower level of fuel savings could lead emissions to triple by 2050. ![]() The aviation sector currently accounts for about 2% of global emissions, and is one of the fastest-growing polluters.Īccording to projections from researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University, emissions from the sector could more than double by 2050 even if planes become substantially more fuel-efficient and airlines save additional carbon by optimising their operations. ![]() At 10 intersections studied in Virginia, this amounted to more than 200,000 gallons of fuel per year.Sources: IEA, Lee (2019) based on Fleming and Ziegler (2016) In another study, replacing traffic signals and stop signs with roundabouts reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 32 percent, nitrous oxide emissions by 34 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 37 percent, and hydrocarbon emissions by 42 percent.Ĭonstructing roundabouts in place of traffic signals can reduce fuel consumption by about 30 percent. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, In one study, installing a roundabout in place of an intersection with signals reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 29 percent and nitrous oxide emissions by 21 percent. I haven’t seen any studies about how much more soil they bury under asphalt, and that ought to be considered too.Įvery bit as important, roundabouts reduce vehicle emissions and use less gas. While the initial construction cost of a roundabout varies site by site, its maintenance is cheaper than for intersections with signals. “Roundabouts take away this possibility because drivers are always making a right turn. “The right-angle crash is one of the most severe crashes,” says Bill. We saw video of a driver traveling the wrong way, but everyone was driving through the roundabout so slowly, people could stop. “But even if something happens, your risk of a fatal crash goes way down. “People say they’re unsafe because it’s hard to judge the gap,” says Andrea Bill, TOPS traffic safety engineering research program manager. ![]() 22-26, they discussed their roundabouts research in Washington, D.C., at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting, which draws more than 11,000 transportation professionals from around the world. Quite simply, roundabouts provide drivers an efficient, safer alternative to traditional four-way intersections governed by stop signs or traffic signals, says David Noyce, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of civil and environmental engineering.Īn expert in transportation safety, Noyce directs the Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory at UW-Madison. Roundabouts are becoming almost as common as potholes. ![]()
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