The Biden administration, in November 2021, published a long-term strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, along with 50-52% reductions from 2005 levels by 2030. It seeks to coordinate between government and the private sector to achieve its goals.
The study stems from a Sept. memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Departments of Energy, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. It noted that billions of dollars in clean transportation investments are in the recent Inflation Reduction Act and 2021’s infrastructure law. It also acknowledges changing mobility needs and the emergence of automation and connectivity, which the document says, “will dramatically change future mobility in ways that are hard to forecast.” Regulators added: “Transportation systems need to be flexible enough to accommodate unforeseen new technology and societal changes that will cause mobility shifts.”
Goals for the coming decade include the following:
- Partner with local communities on local or regional land use and planning to enable fewer or shorter trips.
- Provide tools for system-level design solutions to increase convenience and reduce emissions.
- Work with public and private sector partners on solutions for a more equitable and healthier transportation system.
- Support land use, street design, and development policies that make walking and biking easier, safer, and more convenient.
- Invest in rail, public transportation, and active infrastructure to provide the option to use more affordable and energy-efficient forms of transportation.
- Continue and expand funding and market incentives to accelerate the uptake of low- or zero-emission vehicles and invest in supporting infrastructure (e.g., vehicle rebates and EV charging infrastructure), especially in low-income and overburdened communities.
Source: Smart Cities Dive
