Displaying items by tag: transport

Study examines the transport dimension of Climate Agreement’s Nationally Determined Contributions

How will the CO2 reduction measures of the Paris Climate Agreement affect transport emissions? A new study by the International Transport Forum at the OECD examines how transport-related commitments in countries’ climate pledges, the so called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), will affect national CO2 emissions from transport.

Transport CO2 emissions make up around 23% of manmade carbon emissions. Yet most NDCs are unspecific on ambitions and concrete CO2 mitigation measures for transport. Measures listed in the NDCs are in fact often desired outcomes or remain vague. In some cases, the mitigation potential of proposed measures is contestable.

The ITF report attempts an assessment that cuts through this lack of transparency. It uses a methodology developed specifically for this purpose and uses ITF’s modelling framework.

The ITF estimates show that with implementation of all proposed NDC measures, total CO2 emissions at the national level in 2030 would be about the same as in 2015.

This implies a reduction of CO2 emissions of around 1400 Megatonnes CO2 compared to a scenario in which no specific measures are introduced (“baseline scenario”).

Reducing global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (the “2DS” scenario) would require further reductions of around 600 MT CO2.

Results by region show that especially the upper-middle income countries in Asia are planning to exploit most of the currently foreseeable potential for transport CO2 reduction.

Other regions appear to leave some of the CO2 mitigation potential unused. The transport ambitions for CO2 reductions of such countries especially need to be intensified to ensure that the ambition enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees can be achieved.

The report recommends to:

• move from ambitions to concrete actions for the transport sector: The 2016 Paris climate agreement must still be translated into concrete actions for the transport sector. A wide range of policy levers is available to reduce transport emissions, but their effectiveness can vary depending on the specific country context and local conditions. Continued research to identify the right mix of actions that accounts for the different country needs and circumstances is essential.
  
• keep track of transport pledges in NDCs after each revision cycle: To understand whether national climate ambitions have increased, it is important to keep track of further revisions of the NDCs, especially in comparison with the ambitions set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. Tracking national plans for CO₂ reduction ambitions specific to the transport sector will help to decrease uncertainty over future CO₂ emissions of the sector.

Download the free report:

Transport CO2 and the Paris Climate Agreement: reviewing the Impact of Nationally Determined Contributions

https://www.itf-oecd.org/transport-co2-paris-climate-agreement-ndcs

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM

Who we are 

The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 59 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is administratively integrated with the OECD, yet politically autonomous.

What we do 

ITF works for transport policies that improve peoples’ lives. Our mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the role of transport in economic growth, environmental sustainability and social inclusion and to raise the public profile of transport policy.

How we do it 

ITF organises global dialogue for better transport. We act as a platform for discussion and pre-negotiation of policy issues across all transport modes. We analyse trends, share knowledge and promote exchange among transport decision-makers and civil society. ITF’s Annual Summit is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the leading global platform for dialogue on transport policy.

Learn more: www.itf-oecd.org

New technology which enables the on-site production of cyanide used in the mining industries was the overall winner at this year’s Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Global Awards 2014.

Cyanide, and the process of cyanidation, is the most efficient method for extracting gold and silver from low grade ore. However, it is highly toxic and its manufacture, transport and handling pose major safety and environmental challenges.

Australia-based Synergen Met Pty Ltd, in collaboration with the University of Queensland (UQ), beat over 60 other entries to the Overall Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemical and Process Engineering in 2014 for their process plant that manufactures cyanide on location at the mine site¹.

The development reduces costs by up to 50 per cent and avoids the need to transport, store and handle large volumes of hazardous solid and liquid sodium cyanide.

In addition to collecting the top prize, the Synergen Met and UQ entry, called "Modular On-site Cyanide Production Unit", was also presented with the Core Chemical Engineering Award.

Other organisations to succeed at the IChemE Global Awards 2014 included: BP (Bioprocessing Award); Sellafield Ltd, National Nuclear Laboratory and De Detrich Process Systems Ltd (Nuclear Creativity Award); Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies (Sustainable Technology Award); United Utilities and KMI Plus (Water Management and Supply Award); Huntsman Pigments (Chemical Engineering Project of the Year Award); Global Water Engineering (Energy Award); BP Exploration Company (Education and Training Award); PolyPhotonix Ltd and The Centre for Process Innovation − CPI (Innovative Product of the Year Award); Redeemer's University (The Dhirubhai Ambani Award for Outstanding Chemical Engineering Innovation for Resource-Poor People), BP Australia, WorleyParsons, MNS (Telstra) Team and Sage Automation (Process Safety Award).

Individual winners included Costain duo Adrian Finn (Innovator of the Year Award) and Ijeoma Ifedi (Young Chemical Engineer of the Year in Industry Award), and University College London’s Paul Shearing (Young Chemical Engineer of the Year in Academia Award).

Christopher Dunks, managing director at Synergen Met Pty Ltd, said: "This award validates the importance of our site based cyanide production unit and the paradigm shift it generates for the supply of cyanide to the global mining community. 

"It also validates the important impact it will have on communities affected by mines and the impact of removing cyanide from transport networks.”

"IChemE president, Professor Geoff Maitland, said: "Few professions have the power globally to shape and improve the future. Chemical engineers have this privilege and this year's IChemE Global Awards illustrate how our profession is setting new standards in healthcare, energy, water, safety and a more sustainable planet, including supporting some of the poorest people in the world.

“The IChemE Global Awards − with the generous support of our sponsors − represent the hard work, inventiveness and achievements of thousands of chemical engineers across the world, and we are proud to host them on behalf of the profession.

"Congratulations to all of the shortlisted entries for this year’s IChemE Awards, and especially the winners, who have shown that chemical engineering really does matter."

The Awards – which celebrate excellence, innovation and achievement in the chemical and process industries – were hosted by BBC News’ Kate Silverton and held in association with Saudi Aramco at Cheltenham Racecourse on 6 November 2014.

Official list of IChemE Global Award winners and highly commended entries – 2014:

Education and Training Award sponsored by Costain

Winner

• ‘PowerPoint laid to rest by Jenga’: BP Exploration Company – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Embedding sustainability into chemical engineering degrees’: James Cook University – Australia.
• 'Helping young people into engineering': PM Group – UK.

Young Chemical Engineer in Industry Award sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline

Winner

• Ijeoma Ifedi, senior process engineer, Costain – UK.

Young Chemical Engineer in Academia Award sponsored by Bouygues Energies & Services

Winner

• Paul Shearing, senior lecturer in chemical engineering, UCL Chemical Engineering – UK.

Innovator of the Year Award sponsored by NES Global Talent

Winner

• Adrian Finn, FES technology and business development manager, Costain – UK.

Bioprocessing Award sponsored by Newcastle University, UK

Winner

• ‘BP Hummingbird (bio)ethanol to ethylene process’:BP – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Wairakei Bioreactor’: Beca Ltd and Contact Energy Ltd – New Zealand.
• ‘MCC: a step into the future’: FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies – UK.

Chemical Engineering Project of the Year Award sponsored by Sellafield Ltd

Winner

• ‘Improved ore yield in pigment manufacture’: Huntsman Pigments, Greatham – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Nitrogen for enhanced gas recovery’:  Air Products Plc; Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM) – UK/The Netherlands.
• ‘MCC: a step into the future’: FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies – UK.
• ‘BP Hummingbird (bio)ethanol to ethylene process’:BP – UK.

Energy Award sponsored by PM Group

Winner

• ‘GWE chok chai starch raptor’: Global Water Engineering – Hong Kong, China.

Highly commended

• ‘Greener fuel’: London South Bank University – UK.

Nuclear Creativity Award

Winner

• ‘Dust scrubber rebuild safeguards environmental protection‘: Sellafield Ltd; National Nuclear Laboratory; De Dietrich Process Systems Ltd – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Thermal imaging for radioactive material characterisation’: National Nuclear Laboratory; Sellafield Ltd – UK.

Sustainable Technology Award sponsored by ABB Consulting

Winner

• ‘Biodiesel from waste oils’: Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Sustainable and efficient rare earth separation’: Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials – China.
• ‘Integrated distributed energy application software (IDEAS)’: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – Malaysia.

Water Management and Supply Award sponsored by Genesis Oil and Gas

Winner

• ‘Innovative modular steel rapid gravity filters’: United Utilities; KMI Plus – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Clay-papaya combo adsorbent for water treatment’: Redeemer's University – Nigeria.

Core Chemical Engineering Award sponsored by Simon Carves Engineering

Winner

• 'Modular on-site cyanide production unit’: Synergen Met Pty Ltd; University of Queensland – Australia.

Highly commended

• ‘Decision support for sustainable process design’: BASF SE; Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik Kaiserslautern (ITWM); Laboratory of Engineering Thermodynamics, University of Kaiserslautern.
• ‘Improved ore yield in pigment manufacture’: Huntsman Pigments, Greatham – UK.

Process Safety Award sponsored by Shell

Winner

• ‘No to overflow’: BP Australia; WorleyParsons; MNS (Telstra) Team, Denver; Sage Automation – Australia.

Highly commended

• ‘Bringing new life to process safety’: E.ON Global Unit Generation; CGE Risk Management Solutions B.V. – UK/The Netherlands.
• ‘Process safety continuous improvement’: Cristal Pigment UK Ltd – UK.

Innovative Product of the Year Award sponsored by AstraZeneca

Winner

• ‘Noctura 400® Sleep Mask’: PolyPhotonix Ltd; The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) – UK.

Highly commended

• ‘Perfume microcapsules in detergents’: University of Birmingham; Procter & Gamble – UK/Belgium.
• ‘Single-use final filling of drug products’: FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies – UK.

The Dhirubhai Ambani Award for Outstanding Chemical Engineering Innovation for the Resource-Poor People sponsored by Reliance Industries

Winner and the recipient of $10,000

• ‘Clay-papaya combo adsorbent for water treatment’: Redeemer's University – Nigeria.

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemical and Process Engineering

Winner

• ‘Modular on-site cyanide production unit’: Synergen Met Pty Ltd; University of Queensland – Australia.

About chemical engineers

Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, maths and economics to the process of turning raw materials into everyday products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world.  Pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the products where chemical engineering plays a central role.

About IChemE

The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is the global professional membership organisation for people with relevant experience or an interest in chemical engineering. It is the only organisation to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status. With a growing global membership approaching 40,000 the Institution is at the heart of the process community, promoting competence and a commitment to best practice, advancing the discipline for the benefit of society, encouraging young people in science and engineering and supporting the professional development of its members. For more information, visit www.icheme.org