Clean Cars For Arizona News

Today the Arizona PIRG Education Fund released its new report, "Cars and Global Warming: Policy Options to Reduce Arizona’s Global Warming Pollution from Cars and Light Trucks."

According to the report, Arizona could limit its contribution to global warming over the next two decades by implementing policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light trucks.

Diane E. Brown, Executive Director of the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, stated, “controlling global warming pollution from the transportation sector—particularly cars and light trucks—is essential if Arizona is to reduce its emissions and its long-term impact on the climate.”

According to Cars and Global Warming, transportation-related emissions are responsible for approximately 39 percent of Arizona’s global warming pollution. Cars and light trucks--such as pickups, minivans and SUVs—are the most important sources of global warming pollution within the transportation sector, responsible for approximately 60 percent of all emissions from transportation and more than one-fifth of Arizona’s total emissions of global warming pollution.

The Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s report documents how carbon dioxide pollution from cars and light trucks in Arizona could double from 1990 to 2020 unless action is taken to reduce emissions. More specifically the report documents that:

* Emissions already have increased by nearly 40 percent from 1990 to 2000 and are projected to rise by an additional 59 percent from 2000 to 2020.

* The stagnation in federal fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, the recent shift toward greater use of less fuel-efficient SUVs, and increasing vehicle travel have put Arizona on a course toward dramatically increased emissions of carbon dioxide from transportation over the next two decades.

The Clean Cars Program establishes limits on health-damaging pollution and global warming pollution from automobiles. The Clean Cars Program paves the way for the widespread introduction of technologies like hybrid-electric and fuel-cell vehicles, direct-injection engines, advanced transmissions, improved air conditioning systems, and other technologies with the potential to reduce pollution.

According to Brown, by implementing the program to take place effect in model year 2011 (calendar year 2010), Arizona could reduce carbon dioxide pollution from cars and light trucks by about 14 percent below projected levels by 2020. Once the program is fully implemented in 2016, consumers are projected to save at least $3 to $7 every month as a result of the standards – and more if gasoline prices remain high.

Even with implementation of both components of the Clean Cars Program, Arizona will need to adopt additional policies to stabilize and reduce emissions from the transportation sector. Additional policies promoted by the Arizona PIRG Education Fund include clean car incentives that encourage individuals and fleets to purchase vehicles with lower global warming emissions, policies that reduce vehicle travel, transit improvements and other measures that reduce global warming pollution from the transportation sector.

Brown concluded, “Cars and trucks are currently driving Arizona toward significantly worse global warming pollution. Enacting the Clean Cars Program will make a major dent in global warming and will save money for Arizonans.”

Global warming poses a serious threat to Arizona’s future. Warmer temperatures in Arizona could shrink fresh water supplies, cause increased deaths from air pollution and heat, spread mosquito-borne illnesses, and impact Arizona’s economy, public health and environment in a host of other ways.