{"id":12764,"date":"2016-03-09T12:13:30","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T17:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=12764"},"modified":"2016-03-09T12:13:30","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T17:13:30","slug":"go-farther-faster-to-cut-truck-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2016\/03\/09\/go-farther-faster-to-cut-truck-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Go Farther, Faster to Cut Truck Pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. has put in place well-designed policies to cut climate pollution, and, with adopted and proposed policies, the nation\u2019s 2025 climate reduction goals are within reach.\u00a0 However, we are not there yet<\/a>, and important work remains.<\/p>\n

Big trucks have a critical contribution to make in cutting emissions now and well into the future. Cost-effective technologies are available to significantly reduce fuel use. Conversely, if we don\u2019t take common sense steps today to cut climate-destabilizing emissions from this sector, climate emissions are projected to rise<\/a> by approximately 15 percent by 2040. This is particularly problematic when you consider that the nation must reduce carbon emissions by at least<\/a> 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050 to prevent severe, potentially catastrophic, levels of climate change. Without further action to cut emissions from heavy-trucks, the sector would consume nearly 40 percent of our national 2050 emissions budget \u2013 a level that is clearly not sustainable.<\/p>\n

\"Pepsi<\/p>\n

\"600-02056018\"<\/p>\n

The good news is that there is much that can be done to reduce emissions from trucks while also saving money; this year we have a unique opportunity to get started. As EPA Administrator McCarthy recently noted<\/a>, finalizing new greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for heavy-duty vehicles is a priority in 2016.<\/p>\n

Given the combination of environmental and economic benefits that strong GHG standards will provide, many leading companies have already shown public support. PepsiCo<\/a> and Walmart<\/a> \u2013 two of the largest trucking fleets in the U.S. \u2014 support strong standards. General Mills, Campbell\u2019s Soup, IKEA and many other companies<\/a> that rely on trucking support strong standards. Innovative manufacturers<\/a> support strong standards.<\/p>\n

So, where do we go from here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The draft proposal<\/a> issued jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) in June 2015 is a good step, particularly because it maintains a sound, enforceable structure of separate engine and vehicle standards. However, the proposal leaves significant emission reductions on the table, specifically in its engine standard.<\/p>\n

The first generation of heavy truck fuel efficiency standards required engines to reduce fuel use and emissions by 6 percent\u00a0from 2010 to 2017,<\/a> or roughly 1 percent\u00a0per year. The current draft would require reductions of only 4.2 percent\u00a0from 2017 through 2030<\/a>. Nearly all of this progress occurs between 2021 and 2024. Between 2025 and 2030 these standards increase by only 0.5 percent.\u00a0 The hill we need to climb to achieve our 2050 emissions goals is steep enough without losing critical time to such nominal progress.<\/p>\n

We can do more.<\/strong><\/p>\n