Open Plans Statement on Critical Need to Reduce Driving During Climate Week

Statement from Sara Lind, co-executive director at Open Plans:

“As policymakers and leading minds discuss solutions for combating climate change during Climate Week, they must discuss our country’s reliance on driving. And while electric vehicles have a role to play in a more resilient future, focusing solely on their adoption is car-centric tunnel vision. Failing to include reducing driving in climate policy is a missed opportunity and a bad omen for our ability to effectively slow the tide of climate change and mitigate its effects. 

“Business interests are promoting EVs as the new frontier, but the most effective innovation from a climate crisis standpoint would involve thinking beyond the current structures that contributed to it in the first place. EVs still pollute our air with particulate matter, rely on heat-trapping and flood-prone infrastructure, and maintain a status quo that has forced Americans into a costly, isolating cycle of car dependence. Merely switching from gas-powered vehicles to electric is putting good money after bad. Public transit, micromobility options, and walkability, however, might not make anyone a millionaire, but will help us adequately shift course away from looming climate disaster. 

“We cannot meet the USDOT goal of decarbonizing the transportation sector by 2050 without addressing increased demand for vehicle travel. The data is crystal clear: Americans must drive less if we want to get where we need to go on our climate goals. Fortunately, tactics are already emerging as early successes: cities who set goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) have done so by prioritizing policies like congestion pricing, eliminating parking mandates, micromobility infrastructure, density and walkability, and well-managed, climate-resilient public space that serves people outside of cars. Building communities where driving isn’t the only option will reduce damage on the planet and help mitigate the extreme weather that will become increasingly common in coming years. Yes, these tactics are radically different from the approach of most American cities in the last century, but that’s the point. We cannot solve this unprecedented moment with solutions from the past.”

Background

USDOT has stated that we must address the country’s trend toward increased driving in order to meet emissions goals. And forecasts show that widespread EV adoption will be far slower than previously projected. To reach climate goals through electrification, New York City would have to electrify more than 80% of all private vehicles to reach climate goals; though New York State pledged to get 850,000 EVs on the road by 2025, it is only 15 percent of the way there.

September 22-29, leaders in business, policy, and community organizing will travel to New York City from around the world for Climate Week. The largest annual climate event of its kind, it aims to unite key changemakers to celebrate progress and devise new solutions to slow climate change and mitigate its effects.  

When climate groups discuss sustainable transportation policy, the focus is often on electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them. Yet, sustainable transportation must include solutions for less private vehicle use overall, like Bus Rapid Transit and the infrastructure needed to make it fast, automated, and reliable. 

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