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What are London's Public Transit Emissions and should London go Electric?
Five Western University Students (Durfy, C., Perry K., Petryschuk J., Porro, N., Pulumbarit, S.) examined this. Read their report
Executive Summary: Are London’s Emission Goals Going Bust for Buses?
Full Report: Addressing London’s Climate Emergency: The Role of Electrifying Transit
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Should we widen Wonderland Road?
A must-see, this video explains, educates and inspires us to re-think how we design our cities so that we have more opportunities to move people in more sustainable ways.
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Hybrid Taxis + Other Vehicles For Hire
Why have all the taxis in Winnipeg converted to hybrid?
Not only are hybrid vehicles more fuel efficient, but they are less costly to operate. Read this article on how London should encourage more taxis to have hybrid fleets.
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Communauto - Car Share Services
If you live in the downtown area, and don’t need a car all that often, consider joining a car share service.
Communauto has 4 locations in London. Rent hybrid vehicles by the hour or the day, with gas and insurance rate included! Memberships available.
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Government Incentives
The Federal and Provincial governments are committing $250M each in the production of electric vehicles at the Oakville Ford plant. It is estimated that by 2025 the purchase price of an EV will be the same as a gas vehicle.
Ask your dealer for details on electric vehicle incentives ($5,000 incentive and Plug & Drive’s $1,000 rebate purchase).
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Are EVs better than ICE vehicles?
One study found that emissions from EVs have emissions up to 43% lower than diesel vehicles. Another detailed that “in all cases examined, electric cars have lower lifetime climate impacts than those with internal combustion engines”.
Comparisons between electric vehicles and conventional vehicles are complex. They depend on the size of the vehicles, the accuracy of the fuel-economy estimates used, how electricity emissions are calculated, what driving patterns are assumed, and even the weather in regions where the vehicles are used. There is no single estimate that applies everywhere.
Read the full article by Carbon Brief
35 countries have committed to buying only zero emission buses starting in 2025
London is studying the cost of electrifying the London Transit fleet
18 countries have committed to phasing out gasoline and diesel vehicles before 2040
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Letter to the Editor Dec 20, 2020
Get Involved with Climate Plan
The City of London's large advertisement in the LFP on Dec.19 urges Londoners to participate in the development of London's Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP). This plan is "an urgent response to our changing climate", with the challenging goal (mandated by Canada's Paris Accord goal of 2015) of "reducing London's gas emissions by at least 30% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050".
City staff have done a lot of excellent work in the last few months to outline many ways to green our city, and reduce London's gas emissions. Since 49% of London's total emissions comes from individual vehicles (31%) and homes (18%), it is critical that everyone considers how they can decrease their emissions by at least 30% by 2030. Please go to: getinvolved.london.ca/climate, and go to the bottom right-hand sidebar entitled Discussion Primer for the CEAP.
London Free Press, Dec. 20, 2020 Mike Bancroft
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Letter to the Editor Nov 12, 2020
Re: Editorial: Biden could hurt the energy sector (Nov.12)
The Editorial emphasizes the current importance of the fossil fuel sector (including pipelines) in the U.S. and Canada, and ponders "how we transition away from fossil fuel energy to expensive, inefficient, intermittent, and unreliable renewable resources such as wind and solar power". While this statement might have been true twenty years ago, it is incorrect today. Wind and solar power are now often cheaper than fossil fuels, efficient, and reliable. The evidence? Many European countries are converting to wind and solar very rapidly. For example, 50% of Denmark's electricity now is generated mostly by wind (47%) and solar (3%).
As emphasized by Biden, we must transition to green sources to meet the existential threat from extreme climate change events (and our commitments to the Paris Accord). This transition will enhance, not hurt, the overall energy sector in the next few years.
Mike Bancroft, Climate Action London
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Letter to the Editor Oct 15, 2020
Re: Editorial of Oct. 14: Ready for a $300 a tonne carbon tax
The Editorial is correct that the tax might have to increase from the current $30 a tonne to $300 a ton (6.6 to 67c/litre) to meet the required 30% decrease in GHG emissions by 2030. But the Editorial states that " Canadians... have no idea of whether they are receiving more money in rebates than paying in carbon taxes". The rebate is upfront and larger than the tax for the great majority. This year all couples received $336, increasing to over $3,000 in 2030. For a hybrid getting 5 litres per/100 km driving 15,000 km per year, this results in a >$150 saving this year and a >$1500 saving in 2030. Is this incentive necessary to get individuals to buy a hybrid/EV and cut back their emissions?
Mike Bancroft, Climate Action London