The group focusing on how we travel heard balanced, accurate and comprehensive information about personal transport use, including surface transport (such as cars and trains) and air travel.
A number of speakers took turns to address the group, and then the assembly members had an opportunity to question them at their tables. Some of the speakers were informants (they explain the range of views or options that exist on the topic) and some were advocates (they present their personal opinion, or the opinion of the organisation they work for.) Read more about how the speakers were selected here.
The group heard evidence on what should be done to reach net zero by 2050 and how it should be done. Broadly speaking, the evidence covered three main areas for both surface transport and air travel:
- Measures to avoid greenhouse gas emissions from transport (e.g. to reduce distances that people may need to travel)
- Measures to shift journeys to less carbon intensive forms of travel (e.g. from cars to public transport, cycling and walking)
- Measures to improve the emissions performance of vehicles (e.g. shifting to electric vehicles)
Speakers also covered alternatives for how emissions can be reduced from surface transport and aviation (e.g. the role of prices and taxes, regulations etc).
Speaker briefings
Each speaker was provided with a brief from the Expert Leads on what their presentation should cover. You can read those briefings here.
Saturday 8th February
Professor Jim Watson, University College London, introduces the topic area livestream
Panel one livestream
Professor Jillian Anable, University of Leeds – introduction to surface transport (informant)
Ellie Davies, Committee on Climate Change – technical and social options for reducing emissions from cars (informant)
Lynn Sloman, Transport for Quality of Life – alternatives to cars (informant)
Assembly members prioritise their questions for later Q&A
Panel one continued livestream
Jason Torrance, UK 100 - fairness and how that relates to surface transport (informant)
Steve Melia, University of the West of England - how surface transport could be decarbonised via regulations (advocate)
John Siraut, Jacobs and Paul Buchanan, Volterra - how surface transport could be decarbonised via economic incentives (advocate)
Assembly members prioritise their questions for later Q&A
Q&A with all panel speakers
Sunday 9th February
Panel two livestream
Professor Jim Watson, University College London – introduction to the topic of air travel (informant)
Owen Bellamy, Committee on Climate Change – technical options for reducing emission from air travel (informant)
Professor Alice Larkin, University of Manchester – alternatives to air travel (informant)
Assembly members prioritise their question for later Q&A
Panel two continued livestream
Dr Sally Cairns, University of Leeds – fairness and reducing emissions from air travel (informant)
How emissions from air travel could be reduced:
Leo Murray, Possible - perspective one (advocate)
Rachael Everard, Rolls Royce - perspective two (advocate)
Assembly members prioritise their questions for later Q&A
Q&A with all panel speakers