Abstract
The world has recently experienced challenges related to the increasing use of fossil fuels like petrol and diesel driven by rising population and the demand for energy. Challenges like increased emission of greenhouse gases and waning reserves of non-renewable resources has led to the need to develop policies that govern the use of resources to sustain the energy for present and future generations. Some of the policies presented include collective passenger transport that reduces the demand for fossil fuels and decreases the level of carbon emissions. To ascertain the reality of emission of greenhouse gases and extensive use of resources such as fossil fuels, the study sought information from various academic journals. The journals referred to explain the essential nature related to a reduction in the use of non-renewable resources and sustainance of the environment for present and future generations.
From the study, the use of non-renewable resources and emission of greenhouse gases are rising at an alarming rate. The amplified use of resources and emissions calls for urgent measures to mitigate the challenges that can transpire in the absence of approriate measures. Some of the measures include collective passenger transport that aims to reduce the number of private vehicles, which comprise a majority of vehicles on the road and encourage the use of buses and taxis. The encouragement is instrumental in reducing the level of carbon emissions and demand for fossil fuels, which is the main source of energy used in the transport sector.
Introduction
Over the recent past, the amount of carbon emissions have increased to levels where they cause global warming and pose a signifficant threat the lives of individuals in the world. As a result, various organizations and countries are instituting policies that focus on reducing the levels of emissions and the harm caused to the environment. Some of the strategies instituted include sustainability of energy, reduction of industrial emissions, and collective passenger transport. Due to the increasing amount of private vehicles on various roads, a combination of energy usage from private and public vehicles results in rampant use of fossil fuels.
Santiago and Roxas (2012) state that 23% of greenhouse related emissions emanate from the transport sector. As a result of this dependence, energy consumption and greenhouse gases emerge as major concerns to contemporary governments. An eventual outcome associated with continuous use of non-renewable sources of energy is the depletion of fossil fuels. The challenges that transpire from the increasing amount of private and public vehicles initiated the need to use collective passenger transport in the quest to reduce the energy used by vehicles. Therefore, the paper explains the significance of collective passenger transport in conservation of energy.
Overview
Collective passenger transport implies the use of taxis, buses, and other large vehicles to ferry individuals and goods from one point to another. The initiative championing for collective transport arose from the increasing number of private vehicles that introduced a corresponding rise in the use of energy. The fact that petroleum products from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable, make up the main source of energy used by vehicles compounds the need to reduce the amount of vehicles on the road. According to Mezher, Tabbara, and Al-Hosany (2010) sustainable energy aims to preserve resources for the present and future generations.
To reduce the usage of energy and sustain it for present and future generations, there is a need to reduce the number of vehicles that ply the roads in the United Arab Emirates, (UAE) and the world. Since private vehicles comprise the highest number of vehicles as opposed to public vehicles, most of the policies initiated aim at discouraging private vehicles and encouraging the use of buses and taxis.
Procedures
The study focuses on the significance of collective passenger transport on reduction of carbon emissions and sustainability of energy in the UAE. The high number of private vehicles introduced a hike in the levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and thus, led to a need to reduce their numbers (Santiago & Roxas, 2012). Remarkably, the amount of emissions and use of energy from privately owned vehicles is alarming. The alarming rate of energy usage from private vehicles indicated the vital nature of using collective passenger transport in minimizing energy use and carbon emissions. When people use buses and taxis to travel from one point to another, the number of vehicles that need fuel will reduce and the use of fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel decreases. The decrease in the demand of fossil fuels leads to sustainability of these sources of energy, and therefore, the present and future generations will benefit from petroleum products.
Search Terms
The study searched the following terms in Wiley Library, Elservier Libabry, and Emeradl Insight Libabry.
- Energy sustainability+ transport + UAE
- Sustainable transportation + pollution
- Collective transport+ sustainable energy + UAE
- Carbon emissions + fossil fuel + transport +UAE
- Energy efficiency + renewable sources + UAE
Synthesis and Reporting
Sustainable Energy
Sustainable energy aims to ensure that the benefits enjoyed by the present generations from the sources of energy extend to the future generations. Since petroleum, which is non-renewable, is the main source of energy used by vehicles, there is a serious need to minimize its use. The significance of minimizing energy use and greenhouse emissions from vehicles is sustainability of energy. Notably sustainability of energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions helps the future generations to enjoy the resources. Madichie (2011) explains that the demand for fossil fuels and carbon emissions have increased to pronounced levels that call for urgent control measures. Therefore, it is important to engage in wise use of renewable and non-renewable sources of energy in a manner that limits their depletion. Increasing population and the rising demand for energy are some of the main factors that occasioned a corresponding rise in the use of energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Over the recent past, the world has experienced a rise in population and increasing demand for energy. The rising population and increasing demand for energy led to extensive use of natural resources, which are limited and unequally distributed (Kolk & Buuse, 2012). Extensive use of the resources quickly depleted some of the major reserves in the world, a factor that initiated collective outcry from organizations and countries.
Statistics shows that approximately fossile fuel comprise 95% of the global total transport energy (Santiago & Roxas, 2012)The outcry from organizations and countries focused on the fact that absence of policies to manage the extensive use of the resources would lead to their complete depletion and risk future generations. Since the rising population used large amounts of energy in their activities, such as transport, industrial processes, and agricultural practices, the available resources have reduced, and the levels of greenhouse gas emissions have increased. As a result, it is significant to institute policies that reduce usage of energy and minimize the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Population growth witnessed recently introduced a corresponding rise in the number of vehicles and increased the magnitude of harm that human activities have on the environment. Due to environmental harm posed by human activities like industrial practices and transport, various organizations in the world such as the United Nations Environmental programme (UNEP) started encouraging wise use and conservation of natural resources and alternative sources of energy. The encouragement to use alternative sources of energy and manage the use of renewable sources focused on conserving the remaining resources.
Giacinto et al. (2009) outline the fact that fossil fuels are non-renewable implies that their extensive use has dire consequences on the society in the absence of proper management policies. Therefore, some organizations and countries started campaigning for ways to conserve energy and use alternative or renewable sources in the execution of human activities. Some of the alternative sources of energy that various countries have undertaken in an attempt to minimize the harm to the environment and sustain energy includes wind and solar that proved to be rewarding and environmentally friendly.
Table 1: Ranking of CO2 emitters in the world. Source: (Santiago and Roxas, 2012)
Several initiatives instituted by countries and organizations that focus on sustainability of energy and resources require collective participation of countries, individuals, and processing plants. Dukiya (2012) asserts that processing plants in developing and developed countries are among the major players involved in the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental degradation. Therefore, states, processing plants, and individuals need to take part in the process of energy conservation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Since the UAE is among developed countries, its processing plants and human activities play a major role in depletion of energy and environmental degradation. The amounts of emissions from processing plants in the UAE are alarming and require minimization since they pose a dire harm to the environment. Moreover, the stable economy of the country, which attributes its existence to the sale of oil, compounds the challenges because it increases the level of human activities in the country.
Environmental pollution, depletion of resources that provide energy, and the resultant increase in the cost of food products are some of the effects associated with extensive use of fossil fuels in the UAE. In addition, biodiversity loss and desertification comprise the effects that transpire from the usage of fossil fuels that occasion green house gas emissions (Madichie, 2011). One of the main problems related to depletion of fossil fuels in the region is the dire consequence on its economy that is highly dependent on production and sale of oil. Therefore, to salvage the region from the effects that extensive use of fossil fuels in its economy and environment, the nation requires effective energy management policies. Through wise use and conservation of resources, the objective of sustainable energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions becomes achievable.
In responding to the urgent requirement to manage usage of energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the UEA enacted some policies that emphasize on reduction of emissions. According to Santiago and Roxas (2012), 23% of greenhouse related emissions in 2004 was from the transport sector. As a result of this dependence, energy consumption and greenhouse gases emerge as major concerns to contemporary governments.
The drive to encourage wise use of renewable and alternative sources of energy has its basis on the fact these sources of energy are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Therefore, by encouraging wise use of renewable resources, the country not only minimizes greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, but also sustains energy for future generations. Since the main environmental pollutants in the UAE arise from the use of fossil fuels, implementation of policies that manage the use of oil and petroleum products implies that various environmental problems associated with carbon emissions reduce.
Collective Passenger Transport
Collective passenger transport is one of the policies that are useful in reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the UEA. The need to adopt the policy arise from the fact several individuals in the country and worldwide are highly dependent on automobiles in the accomplishments of their daily activities (Ferroukhi, Ghazal-Aswad, Androulaki, Hawila, & Mezher, 2013). Remarkably, since transport is the movement of individuals from one place to another, it forms a central activity of human beings in the country and globally. The implication of increased dependence on automobiles is a rise in the demand and use of petroleum products that are the major sources of energy in the transport industry (Mezher, Tabbara, & Al-Hosany, 2010). Urbanization and industrialization are some of the concepts that catalyse the hike in demand for fossil fuels.
Urbanization refers to the increasing number of urban centres in the world, whereas industrialization relates to an increase in the number of industries. The concepts lead to rural- urban or urban- rural migration, as well as movement to and from industrial regions and a rise in the demand for transport. The main drive to visit these regions is the search for new opportunities such as employment, business, or education.
The rise in the use and dependence on transport services implies that the amount of fossil fuels used in the industry increases as well as the demand. Consequently, a rise in the demand and use of petroleum products in the transport industry leads to an increase in the levels of greenhouse gas emissions. According to Kolk and Buuse (2012), the increase in emission of greenhouse gases emanates from the use of vehicles that facilitate movement of individuals and goods from one place to another. As a result, transport increases the amounts of carbon emissions in the country and globally, and thus, best explains the need to adopt and encourage collective passenger transport. Collective passenger transport helps reduce the number of vehicles that need fuel. Remarkably, with the increasing population, the suitable management policy that the nation can use in controlling the amount of vehicles and emissions that transpire from their use is the encouragement of collective passenger transport.
To encourage the use of collective vehicles that facilitate movement of individuals and goods from one place to another, countries like the UEA have to put in place policies that discourage the use of private vehicles. One of the policies that country adopted is reduction of transport fare and other related costs so that private owners of vehicles prefer using public transport instead of self-driving themselves (Giacinto et al., 2009).
Through reduction of fare, individuals using private vehicles view self-drive as an expense, and thus, they will be reluctant to bring their vehicles to the road when travelling to work or school. Ferroukhi et al. (2013) assert that when the amount of vehicles on the road reduce a corresponding decrease in the levels of carbon emissions becomes achievable. The fining of individuals, who use private vehicles on matters related to the level of emissions from the vehicle is another policy that the country can implement. The policy attempts to discourage the use of private vehicles and advocate for an increase in the use of collective vehicles such as buses, trains, and taxis.
Vehicles such as buses and taxis carry several individuals in one instance as opposed to private vehicles, which can carry two individuals in a single trip. The large capacity of collective vehicles elucidates the fact that using public transport reduces the number of vehicles on the roads as many people use a bus instead of boarding numerous private vehicles (Ferroukhi et al., 2013). It is imperative to understand that collective passenger transport is one of the suitable policies, which facilitates minimal greenhouse gas emissions, and sustains resources such as fossil fuels (Madichie, 2011). Remarkably, management of buses and taxis is easier as opposed to supervision of private vehicles. Easy management of collective vehicles implies that the use of buses and taxis eases the management of emissions and the use of fossil fuels like petrol and diesel.
Conclusion
Carbon emissions and depletion of resources like fossil fuels are some of the challenges that the world has experienced in the recent past. The extensive use of the resources occasioned due to the increasing demand and the rising human activities. As a result, there is need to execute urgent measures that manage the use of the energy and resources. Some of the policies include the use of renewable or alternative sources of energy like wind and solar and collective passenger transport. Collective passenger transport is very instrumental in reducing the level of carbon emissions and minimizing the demand for fossil fuels.
References
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