Source: Xinhua
04-20-2009 11:43
Special Report: Tech MaxLONDON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- As Britain is pressing ahead toward a low-carbon society, environment-friendly driving has become increasingly important in the country, in parallel with technological innovation needed for making greener vehicles.
To achieve its burning ambition of reducing CO2 emissions by 80percent by 2050 from 1990 levels, Britain has to target many polluting sectors.
Britain's domestic transport, covering road, rail, aviation and shipping, demands urgent transformation as its emissions accounted for nearly a quarter of the country's total CO2 emissions in 2007.
Coming to the top of the agenda is a need to reduce the emissions from road transport, which accounts for 22 percent of the emissions from all sources.
With the number of cars on the road on the rise, Britain is putting the importance of consumer education on a par with technological innovations to ensure a future of low-carbon transport.
TARGETING NEW AND YOUNG DRIVERS
Britain requires a great awareness of the environment for those who wish to drive in the country. As such, it has considered introducing eco-driving into the practical driving test.
Over the past few years, those who sit a theory test for their driving licences in Britain have been required to answer questions, some of which demand an understanding of environment-friendly driving.
Bad driving, hard braking and harsh acceleration all add to high fuel consumption, and the suggestion of walking instead of driving, which is said to help reduce pollution and traffic congestion, has been added to the pool of questions for temporary drivers.
Technical issues, such as fitting catalytic converters into new petrol-engine cars to reduce harmful exhaust emissions, are also among those which drivers are required to learn.
