Sunday, July 03, 2005
Nicholas Kristof gives Portland a boost
Portland claims it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof believes it. But a close look at Portland's report raises some questions.
Though Portland's press release -- and Kristof's article -- emphasizes Portland's streetcar and light-rail system, the report shows that these have not reduced greenhouse gas emissions at all. Instead, all of the decrease is in the industrial sector. Moreover, no transportation-air pollution model yet devised accurately accounts for the effects of the huge increase in congestion that Portland has suffered on pollution emissions.
An even bigger problem with Portland's claims is that they only apply to Multnomah County, not any of the other three counties in the Portland area. Portland's industrial base has shifted from Multnomah County to Washington County, so the huge decline in industrial emissions is pretty meaningless.
Creative accounting, not the success of Portland's transit system, allows Portland to claim a reduction in greenhouse gases.
Though Portland's press release -- and Kristof's article -- emphasizes Portland's streetcar and light-rail system, the report shows that these have not reduced greenhouse gas emissions at all. Instead, all of the decrease is in the industrial sector. Moreover, no transportation-air pollution model yet devised accurately accounts for the effects of the huge increase in congestion that Portland has suffered on pollution emissions.
An even bigger problem with Portland's claims is that they only apply to Multnomah County, not any of the other three counties in the Portland area. Portland's industrial base has shifted from Multnomah County to Washington County, so the huge decline in industrial emissions is pretty meaningless.
Creative accounting, not the success of Portland's transit system, allows Portland to claim a reduction in greenhouse gases.
Comments:
That's assuming that the so-called "greenhouse gas" issue is much of an issue at all in terms of global climate patterns.
I suspect that they did not include the GHG from electricity generation for the expanded light rail service. Virtually all new electricity production has been oil or coal fired in recent decades and power plants are among the largest emitters of GHG. General rule is that energy use is 3X the energy delivered to consumers (such as Tri-Met), with losses coming in generation and transmission.
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