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Transport, Mobility, Emissions, and Development
Low-Carbon Transport and Development Some low- and middle-income countries that have rapidly reached very high per capita incomes have kept per capita emissions very low. In the late 1970s, Hong Kong SAR, China, resembled metropolitan areas of today: It had real growth of about 10 percent a year, an influx of immigrants, and a roaring demand for private cars. Car ownership had more than doubled in a decade. The result was both a huge loss of time for passengers and freight and significant health costs from air pollution. The Hong Kong SAR, China, transport department reacted with draconian measures (Hau 1990). In 1979 it drastically reformed transport policy, increased road capacity, improved mass transit, and introduced demand management. It trebled the license fee for cars, doubled the first registration fee (up to 90 percent of the value of an imported car), and doubled fuel taxes. Vehicle ownership plunged; by 1985 it was down to 50 percent of the 1979 value, of which taxis represented 10 percent. The public transport system incorporates an underground metro, a heavy rail line linking Hong Kong SAR, China, with mainland China, a light rail system in the northwest New Territories, and a tram on the north side of Hong Kong Island. Five private Figure 1.4 Price Differences and per Capita Gasoline Consumption, Selected Countries 1.6 1.4
Gasoline price
1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2
Italy
Canada
United Kingdom
United States
02 20
99 19
96 19
93 19
90 19
87 19
84 19
81 19
19
78
0
Australia figure continues next page
Turning the Right Corner • http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-9835-7