Modelling from the 1point5 project in New Zealand shows that we need to decarbonise transport by 2030. To achieve this, Yarra needs to allocate a lot more money from the annual budget to streets and transport.
1point5 project
The 1point5 project is from Paul Winton, who has a PhD in engineering, is a former McKinsey & Company consultant and a founder of Temple Capital Investment Specialists. For the past year he has been working on identifying the most pragmatic path for New Zealand to meet its obligations under a 1.5°C scenario as outlined in the Zero Carbon Act of 2019. His conclusion is that transport needs to decarbonise by 2030, and we need to start now.
Review of the 1point5 project
The Greater Auckland website recently reviewed Paul’s work and highlighted some conclusions:
Validation from The Conversation
In The Conversation, Philip Laird states:
If Australia is to reduce emissions, all sectors including transport must pull their weight.
Philipi Laird in The Conversation
What Yarra can do
To help decarbonise transport by 2030, Yarra needs to deliver safe, useable infrastructure for walking and cycling on local streets, including:
- a network of protected footpaths, of adequate width and flatness,
- a network of protected bicycle lanes,
- an expanded urban forest for shading, and
- 20-minute neighbourhoods based on 30 km/h superblocks.
A full list of projects is described on our actions page.
What expenditure is required
To deliver the actions listed above, we estimate that Yarra needs to allocate a budget of $10m per year for 10 years. This budget estimate is based on examining the number of treatments required (e.g. km of footpath to be widened) and the cost for each treatment (e.g. dollars per km). A full explanation is on our expenditure page.
Yarra’s budget 2020-2021
Unfortunately, Yarra isn’t spending anywhere near the required level, and for the 2020/21 budget is proposing to cut funding for walking, cycling and safe routes to school to zero. This isn’t just about climate change, we also want to live in a more beautiful, equitable and accessible city. We encourage all residents and ratepayers to make a submission on the draft budget, asking for $10m per year to:
- decarbonise transport in Yarra by 2030,
- ensure everyone can safely access any property in Yarra, irrespective if they choose to walk, cycle, take public transport or drive, and
- deliver safe, independent mobility options to children, seniors (who no longer drive), and people with disabilities.
Published on 23rd May 2020.