It is undeniable that the transportation sector is an important sector that drives the economy. However, this sector also consumes a very high amount of energy, reaching 277 million Barrel Equivalents of Oil per year in 2011. Not to mention the amount of carbon emissions produced. According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, total carbon dioxide emissions from energy reached 494,998,490 tons as of 2013, of which most of that amount was generated by transportation and coal.

Public transportation is lower carbon
Recently, the government has begun to show seriousness in addressing public transportation issues in Indonesia. Improvements have been made in the development of rail-based transportation in Jakarta and in other regions including Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Papua. However, it will take many years for the development of an integrated public transportation system to be completed, while the reduction of carbon emissions is urgent. Then what should be done?

Throughout 2016, it is best if people start to make a habit of reducing the use of private vehicles and utilizing public vehicles that can carry many people at once such as trains and buses. Environmentalists have often pointed out that using public transportation is an easy and cheap way to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Another alternative for a green way of traveling is carpooling or sharing a vehicle with family, neighbors and friends who will be traveling in the same direction. Carpooling allows for fewer vehicles on the road, lower fuel consumption per head and of course less money spent on fuel and car servicing. If you want to be healthier while keeping the earth green, people can also use bicycles or walk for short trips.

Reduce airplane rides
Of all the modes of transportation, the least environmentally friendly is the plane. Planes require enormous amounts of fuel every time they fly. Throughout 2016, if people change their way of traveling from using planes to trains or buses, for trips of less than 500 kilometers, the non-renewable energy that Indonesia already has very limited reserves of can be saved, and carbon emissions in the atmosphere will be greatly reduced.

The year 2016 can be a turning point for people to be more committed to living sustainably. One way is by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the wise use of transportation.

WWF Indonesia invites you to choose a greener mode of transportation as a resolution in 2016.