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There are no magic bullets when it comes to finding alternative
sources of energy to fossil fuel, says Peter Newman, Professor of
City Policy and Director of the Institute for Sustainability and
Technology at Murdoch University in Perth.
Addressing the international professional services firm GHD’s
one-day forum on sustainability, titled "Our Planet – Leaving a
Legacy" in Melbourne today, Newman told the 1110 attendees that
there were economically viable alternatives to oil, such as natural
gas and bio-fuels, but even with the best policy outcomes all these
other energy sources can probably only meet half of our demand, and
this continuing reliance on oil had consequences for our
cities.
Newman, a key speaker on the session focussing on sustainable
transport solutions, said there was the possibility of cities being
cluttered with inefficient vehicles in the future, and we need to
plan now to avoid this.
"There’s no doubt our reliance on the car is affecting our cities.
But overseas many cities have shown you can be very innovative and
wealthy without cars.
"Take Melbourne, for example. In the inner areas you can live
without a car because of easy access to public transport, but the
outer suburbs are very car dependent. We don’t seem to be able to
extend the rail system, but that’s what is really needed.
"Sprawling suburbs might offer cheaper living but transport
costs are very high. This inevitably means that the high cost of
transport is falling on those least able to afford it. So we have
to find ways of stopping the urban sprawl and lessen our need to
travel."
Newman said policy-makers need to develop "quality alternatives"
when it came to urban transport systems. "It seems to me we
inevitably go for a poor option very time. We need to create a
mentality of quality. And much of it comes back to funding and
leadership to start building the big infrastructure programs this
country needs."
Tom Pinzone, GHD’s Transportation and Logistics Business Stream
Leader, cautioned about seeing roads as the "bogy man" in this
debate. "We shouldn’t just knock roads; they are a successful way
of getting around the city. People are able to use these systems at
a much reduced rate of fuel consumption.
"What we need is a good arterial road system. It’s not for the
lack of funds – most of the super funds and private sector agencies
have lots of money looking for projects.
"But there is certainly a policy issue – we don’t have a
national transport plan. The Federal Government doesn’t provide any
funding for national transport planning."
Peter Moore, executive director of the International Union of
Public Transport, said: "We have a national freight plan, but not a
national urban transport plan. It’s extraordinary what public
transport can deliver, and the more people use public transport,
the less cars that are on the roads. You can fundamentally change a
city in 20 years with significant reduction in car use. "
GHD employs 6000 people in a network of offices throughout
Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and
Europe.