Tuesday, March 24, 2009

No Nano

It seems not everyone is pleased to see millions of people being able to buy cars. John Cadogan from Wheels Magazine doesn't approve:

"When India gets to the level of car ownership that we enjoy in the West, which is about 700 cars for every 1,000 people, it could double the number of cars on earth, presently 900 million, to 1.8 billion," Wheels magazine's features editor John Cadogan told ABC Radio. ".......


"That will have profound impact on carbon dioxide production, greenhouse (gases), the environment and health generally," Cadogan added.

The Australian also believed Nano would impact fuel prices.

"Oil is running out and in fact we're at about peak oil production now. China and India are running to the party and the keg is half empty," he said.

Well, if we run out of oil we won't have to worry about carbon emissions will we.

Having millions of cars on the road do more then generate pollution. Better transportation means higher economic growth helping left countries like India out of poverty. Car pollution will be handled in the same way we have controlled it, with clean engines and cleaner fuel. Those millions of cars are a revenue source for governments allowing them to build proper roads reducing congestion and pollution.

As to peak oil, higher prices means new sources of fuel will come on to the market. Clean alcohol fuels would be given a boost by higher prices.

Anyway its hypocritical of a journalist who depends on cars for his livelihood to complain that more people will be able to afford cars. Or does he only have a problem with brown and yellow Asians having cars?

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