By Ashley Bouman

Bogotá, Colombia is setting an example to the rest of the world with their relatively new B.R.T. (bus rapid transit) system. The innovative public transport system, which started in 2001, consists of long, segmented low-emission buses that are more like an aboveground subway than an assortment of bus routes. The purpose of the B.R.T. is to encourage commuters to ditch their cars and opt for public transit to help reduce traffic, which will in turn reduce smog created from carbon emissions. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, it is also a fraction of the cost of building a subway. This could be a solution to transportation issues that many expanding cities located in developing nations are facing. Versions of this system are being planned, or built, in dozens of developing cities around the globe including: Cape Town, Jakarta, India, and Ahmadabad, India. In fact, Mexico City has started a second successful bus rapid transit line which has already reduced emissions.

Cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles on the roads are major contributors to carbon emissions especially in booming cities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These growing emissions are responsible for the increase of the heat-trapping gases that are linked to global warming. While emissions from industry seem to be decreasing, the emissions from transportation are increasing. It is estimated that these emissions will rise significantly over the next few decades, more than 50 per cent by 2030 in both industrialized and poorer nations; about 80 per cent of that will be from the developing nations. This data was presented at an international conference in Bellagio, Italy in May. The conference was sponsored by the Asian Development Bank and Clean Air Institute.

Bogotá's B.R.T. called TransMilenio transports 1.6 million commuters per day and has removed roughly 7000 small private buses from the road. City officials note that doing this has reduced the use of bus fuel and emissions since its inception. Bogotá has gained international recognition by having the only large transportation project approved from the United Nations to produce and sell carbon credits. This is both good and bad. For the countries that exceed their emission limits under the Kyoto Protocol, or want to improve their green image, they can purchase the credits from TransMilenio to aid in the balancing of their own emission budgets. Analysts say that this carbon credits allowance has brought Bogotá an estimated $100 million to $300 million to date. This viable currency is detrimental to the climate change movement because instead of these countries doing something about their emissions or green image, all they have to do is purchase credits to improve their status, even though no real, impacting changes have been made.

Unfortunately, the B.R.T. system is not feasible in all cities in the world. For example, Los Angeles has built B.R.T.s but they lack many of the vital components of a comprehensive system like the TransMilenio such as fully enclosed stations. The B.R.T. systems there only serve as an addition for the existing rail networks and is failing to change the way commuters travel. In India, it may be difficult for some of a B.R.T. system to operate and thrive as the streets are narrow and crowded. Also, the current, popular method of transportation is the tuk-tuk, or motorised rickshaw, and changing cultural habits can be hard. There are approximately 3 million tuk-tuks on the road, emitting toxic smoke into the atmosphere. Luckily, researchers are in the process of creating a newer inexpensive model that will run on alternative fuels. If a B.R.T. system was to work, it would definitely have a positive impact on transportation emissions.

Bogotá has provided an encouraging model of sustainable public transportation in order to combat climate change. Hopefully this will inspire other countries to follow suit or even create their own ways to cut transportation emissions. To improve the battle against climate change there is a lot that can be done to decrease the amount of transport emissions. Alternative methods for fuel could be used in conjunction with the B.R.T. system aiding to cut emissions even more. As individuals who spend most of our lives travelling from one place to another, we can also do our part. There are always the healthy options of walking and riding our bikes. And of course, opting to take public transit will always be better than driving a car.