Driving a clean green transport revolution for Australia

Host of the Gold Coast's Changing Climates series, Dr Christa Pudmenzky, explains how car emissions are warming temperatures. Plus, how electrifying transport can drive down fuel costs and help overtake climate change.

Experts observe that Australia's climate is warming.

As petrol prices and global temperatures reach record highs, Australians are seeking alternative modes of transport to cut costs and do their bit to mitigate climate change.

Since their invention in the late 1800s, cars have been releasing increasing amounts of harmful fossil fuels into the atmosphere.

Today, nearly one fifth of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions stem from the transport industry.

Rising global emissions from transport and other industries are changing our climate and driving up temperatures.

For example, the Gold Coast is experiencing 15 and a half more August days above the long-term average of 22.1C compared to the early 1990s.

Reducing our transport footprint

Given more than half of our transport emissions come from our cars, finding greener alternatives is the sector's most effective way to minimise impacts on the environment and on our bank balance.

Getting into a more sustainable gear can come in the form of walking, cycling, scooting, using public transport or transitioning petrol cars to the more climate-friendly electric vehicles.

Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, meaning nearly 90 per cent of us have access to safe walking paths and extensive cycling ways.

In fact, Queensland has more than 16,000 cycling routes.

Taking advantage of these networks to get around town by bike or foot not only has the lowest carbon footprint of any transport option, but also has benefits for health and wellbeing by providing an easy way to get daily exercise.

For those who have a need for speed, micromobility alternatives such as e-bikes and e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular, with booming bike share schemes and sharp jumps in their private uptake across many of our capital cities.

Another environmentally friendly option is public transport, which can save you around $9000 a year compared to a gas guzzling car.

Many states are wheeling out electric buses as an even more sustainable transport method that doesn't produce any harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Earlier this year, the Gold Coast opened Australia's first 100 per cent electric bus depot jump starting Queensland’s target to have all new buses to be zero-emissions by 2030.

Just one zero-emissions bus can replace up to 60 cars, making them miles more efficient.

Zero emission buses are also much cheaper to run, are less noisy and improve air quality so fewer people suffer from respiratory and cardiac diseases.

Plus, public transport can stop you losing precious time twiddling your thumbs in traffic and instead turn that idle time into an opportunity to read, listen to music or daydream.

Just make sure not to miss your stop!

For times when public transport isn't an option, personal electric vehicles can provide a green alternative.

Electric vehicle sales rose nearly 200 per cent in 2021. This was partly due to government incentives – such as rebates, waived stamp duty and discounted registration fees – which are making these green machines more and more affordable.

Clean cars are also becoming increasingly accessible as more family-friendly models hit the market and the charging network expands to rural and regional areas.

Australia now has over 3000 charging stations and hosts one of the world's longest electric vehicle charging networks, making it easier to travel longer distances between cities and states.

Additionally, improved battery storage means the average Australian driver can now travel over 20 days on a single charge.

Taking petrol cars off our roads can come in many forms with truckloads of benefits.

While pedal power and walking are the best ways to cut costs and emissions for shorter journeys, public transport and electric vehicles provide sustainable options for longer travel.

Seeking greener transport alternatives and electrifying our cities and towns will get us into a more sustainable gear and help put the brakes on climate change.

Did you know?

Want more information on how your climate is changing? Check out the last article in this series.

Dr Christa Pudmenzky is a climate scientist at the University of Southern Queensland.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.