Reuters (June 4)
“A Swedish-born anti-flying movement is spreading to other European countries.” The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is “shrinking its carbon footprint” and working to avoid stigma with a sustainability plan that “is among the most ambitious and globally focused of any industry.” Carbon emissions have roughly been halved for flights since 1990, “largely thanks to more fuel-efficient aircraft.” For the moment, however, “trains are benefiting from the anti-flight movement.”
Tags: Aircraft, Carbon footprint, Emissions, Europe, Fuel-efficient, IATA, Stigma, Sustainability, Sweden, Trains
Bloomberg (June 9)
“Every day, Tokyo’s subway and trains carry out one of the world’s largest logistical operations, getting a metropolis of 38 million people to work, many commuting for hours. The closer they get to the center, the more congested the carriages become.” While the “system may appear to be straining at the seams, it’s preparing for an even bigger challenge, as the city transforms to welcome its first Olympic Games since 1964.”
Los Angeles Times (May 16)
“California is a test case for whether high-speed trains can succeed in the U.S. — and so far, the state is failing the test.” The Los Angeles Times endorsed the initial plan in 2008 and still believes the benefits will “outweigh the costs, and none of the $43-billion project’s troubles are insurmountable.” There are sensible proposals for bringing the project “back on track” and these should be adopted. The high-speed rail project should not be abandoned, but it does need to be fixed to succeed.
Tags: California, Rail, Trains, U.S.
