KEY POINTS:
Rising petrol and diesel prices are hitting us all in the pocket. It's a wake-up call, to see the price of a barrel of oil break through that symbolic US$100 mark - a reminder that we need to be a lot more careful about how much oil we
use, and to think more seriously about developing alternatives to oil.
Of course it's not just rising prices that are driving this change - reducing our use of fossil fuels is imperative if we are to avoid the worst effects of human-induced climate change.
While the prospect of breaking our oil habit may seem daunting, in many cases it is very simple changes that can make a big difference, such as improving or modifying the way vehicles are operated.
One such example is a pilot project by Toll Rail, which reduced diesel use on South Island trains by monitoring fuel use and modifying driver behaviour, so trains accelerated and decelerated more smoothly.
The impressive results have allowed Toll to double its fuel saving target to 10 per cent for 2007-08.
Airways New Zealand has a project under way to see how to save fuel by safely reducing power use when international aircraft make their descents.
They estimate the savings from such a move could add up to millions of dollars over a year.
Motorists can emulate these pilots and locomotive drivers, and cut petrol and diesel use, by simply adopting a smoother driving style.
This is something the AA has been advocating for some time, and it makes driving on the road easier on the wallet as well as more pleasant for everyone.
The Government plays an important role in setting minimum standards for energy efficiency, and transport is a key area where this can be improved.
We believe it's crucial to improve the fuel efficiency of the cars being brought into the country. Once they're here, they're pretty much used until they're run into the ground, so it's essential to set standards so we buy efficient cars in the first place.
After all, we already do it with fridges and washing machines, so why not cars?
In addition, we're going to make it easier for motorists to invest in fuel-efficient cars, by making it compulsory to provide fuel efficiency information when cars are sold.
Considering the long-term cost of a car is important, as the Government itself has discovered. As part of our drive to make the public sector more sustainable, we asked that the overall running costs of the ministerial car fleet be taken into account when new cars were selected.
The upshot was that a fuel-efficient BMW was calculated to be cheaper to run in the long term than its less expensive rivals. Why hadn't anyone thought of this before?
Energy efficiency should be a no brainer. Why would we waste precious resources when we don't have to? It sounds simple but unfortunately it doesn't always happen.
That's why the Government has put energy efficiency at the heart of its Energy Strategy. The strategy states that investment in energy efficiency should occur where it is cheaper than the long-term cost of investment in new generation, also taking into account environmental costs.
Improved energy efficiency is only one plank of the Government's many-pronged approach to creating a more sustainable transport system.
We're also introducing biofuels and looking at how electric cars could be deployed. Electric engines are much more efficient than petrol or diesel, so are cheaper to run and emit far fewer greenhouse gases (especially since two-thirds of New Zealand's power comes from renewable sources).
The Government has a vision for New Zealand to be the world's first sustainable nation, and is providing leadership to make this a reality.
And if that's not enough, it'll help New Zealanders reduce their fuel bills in the process.
