(Los Angeles) The booming use of electric vehicles in parts of California is reducing the amount of carbon dioxide2 Emitted in these areas, according to a new study published Thursday.
This new data therefore makes a strong case for the authorities of the most populous US state, which wants to universalize the use of electric transportation to achieve “net zero emissions” of carbon dioxide.2 By 2045.
Thanks to a network of sensors installed since 2012 around San Francisco Bay (where electric cars are now common), scientists from the prestigious University of California, Berkeley have observed a steady decline in carbon dioxide (CO) levels.2) is issued every year.
“We have proven, thanks to atmospheric measurements, that the adoption of electric vehicles is successful, and has the expected impact on CO2 emissions2 said the study's lead author, Ronald Cohen.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas and the main cause of climate change.
More than two-thirds of carbon dioxide emissions2 They come from urban environments, but there is little detailed information about these emissions to assist the legislator in his decision.
Ronald Cohen and his team recorded a 1.8% annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions2 Over five years.
Comparing this data to vehicle registration data in the San Francisco area, where nearly one in 20 vehicles are electric or hybrid, allowed the researchers to conclude that electrification has had a measurable impact.
Ronald Cohen told AFP: “California aspires to reach net zero by 2045, and this requires a reduction (in emissions) of a little more than 3.5% per year over the next 20 years.”
California's ambitious plan to achieve “net zero emissions” – that is, carbon dioxide emissions2 They are significantly reduced and remaining emissions are offset – putting it ahead of the rest of the country, and its overall plan is to reach this milestone in 2050.
This western US state has some of the strictest environmental regulations in the US, including its plan to ban the sale of all new thermal cars by 2035.
Ronald Cohen, who plans to install a network of sensors in Los Angeles, but also in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as Providence on the US East Coast, acknowledges that the speed of electric vehicle adoption in San Francisco makes it an atypical case. Stady.
“But this shows that it is possible,” he added.
“This shows that we are able to make measurements that allow us to evaluate the impact of cities’ public policies, and the extent to which these policies are able to bring about measurable changes.”
About 45% of the electricity consumed in California in 2022 came from fossil fuels, according to authorities, a declining share in the face of the increase in renewables.
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