Climate change, light-duty motor vehicles and the Stern Review: Environmental law and policy measures to reduce passenger vehicle CO2 emissions

In 2006, the Stern Review predicted dire consequences for the world's economy unless atmospheric greenhouse gases, responsible for climate change, are prevented from reaching dangerous levels. The Review identified transport as one of the fastest growing sources of global emissions and the motor vehicle sector, in particular, as a significant contributor to this growth. This article argues that governments should adopt three broad aims to guide their strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the passenger vehicle sector: stimulating production of low-emission vehicles; encouraging consumers to purchase low-emission vehicles; and reducing motor vehicle travel and ownership. Drawing on the legislative and policy efforts of several jurisdictions worldwide, the environmental laws and policies which can implement these aims are identified. This article further explains how these measures can give effect to the key policies the Stern Review argued are required to address climate change: carbon pricing; technology policy; and the removal of barriers to behavioural change. In addition, it is suggested that developing countries must attempt to "leapfrog" reliance on conventional vehicle technology. The potential for the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism to assist this process is therefore briefly explored.