Read on Twitter
Rather annoyed the KL-SG High Speed Rail link being terminated.
Apart from the socio-economic benefits it would have brought, the significant decrease in carbon emissions from reducing existing air + bus + car travel would have been immensely beneficial for SG and MY (1/n) https://twitter.com/ChannelNewsAsia/status/1344830338053230595
Apart from the socio-economic benefits it would have brought, the significant decrease in carbon emissions from reducing existing air + bus + car travel would have been immensely beneficial for SG and MY (1/n) https://twitter.com/ChannelNewsAsia/status/1344830338053230595
Context: even though it's only about 350km apart, the sectors of SIN-KUL, SIN-SZB, and XSP-SZB are (were?) the world's busiest air link in terms of number of flights operated between two major cities. (2/n) https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/spore-kl-route-is-worlds-busiest-global-air-link
Bearing in mind the large total and per pax GHG emissions from flights between 
& 
compared to other *current* forms of transport, the HSR could have played a massive role in reducing GHG inputs besides the other benefits posited (3/n) https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/this-way-to-sustainability
& compared to other *current* forms of transport, the HSR could have played a massive role in reducing GHG inputs besides the other benefits posited (3/n) https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/this-way-to-sustainability
Note: the example above shows the current rail system in which pax have to switch trains over multiple stops, and take around 8-10 hours to reach their destination from either SG or KL, depending on how crowded the Causeway is (4/n)
In terms of quantifying the carbon movement between KL & SG, the total footprint is considerable.
Not much studies exist, but an estimated 10 M tons of C moved between & from total tourism-related flows in 2013 (Lenzen et al. 2018 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0141-x). (5/n)
Not much studies exist, but an estimated 10 M tons of C moved between
& from total tourism-related flows in 2013 (Lenzen et al. 2018 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0141-x). (5/n)
This C flow is 7th in the world for carbon movement between countries.
Still, that figure is (very?) likely an underestimate after factoring daily or weekly biz travel (mostly by air) & daily freight transport (mostly across the two international land borders and by sea) (6/n)
Still, that figure is (very?) likely an underestimate after factoring daily or weekly biz travel (mostly by air) & daily freight transport (mostly across the two international land borders and by sea) (6/n)
So how does a HSR link help?
In AR5, @IPCC_CH noted a clear trade off in demand of short-haul air travel when a HSR option exists, with commensurate and significant reductions in total GHG emissions (from Chp 8, WG3): (6/n)
In AR5, @IPCC_CH noted a clear trade off in demand of short-haul air travel when a HSR option exists, with commensurate and significant reductions in total GHG emissions (from Chp 8, WG3): (6/n)
Initial research (abstract & chapter parts here: http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/id/eprint/8929/ ) shows when total carbon emissions (including LCA) of air, car, bus & HSR between KL and SG are analysed, HSR can reduce C by ~3 M tonnes in "yearly total carbon emission" by Yr 9 of operation (7/n)
The significant reductions in C arise from having a viable low-carbon transport alternative to flying ("viable" = comfort, reliability, ops practices of the HSR are of standard 
).
Clear evidence exists of reduced short-haul flights elsewhere (8/n): https://www.carbonbrief.org/eight-charts-show-how-aggressive-railway-expansion-could-cut-emissions
). Clear evidence exists of reduced short-haul flights elsewhere (8/n): https://www.carbonbrief.org/eight-charts-show-how-aggressive-railway-expansion-could-cut-emissions
While the biggest reductions in GHGs would have been from less SG & MY air travel, another positive externality would have been less cars & buses stuck at the world's busiest land crossing & the Tuas Checkpoints in multi-hour jams that can last for kms. 
(9/n)
(9/n)
I've always wondered how bad the PM2.5/NO2/O3 spikes are during the CNY/Hari Raya Puasa periods along these border crossings.
A priori, motorcycle traffic wouldn't be affected too much by the HSR, but cars/buses shuttling pax from SG to KL would likely drop in number (10/n)
A priori, motorcycle traffic wouldn't be affected too much by the HSR, but cars/buses shuttling pax from SG to KL would likely drop in number (10/n)
So add in the very likely better air quality in Woodlands, Tuas, JB and Puteri Harbour/Iskandar as clear benefits that would have happened with the KL-SG HSR apart from the significant reduction in GHGs.
What a wasted opportunity, and a bummer of a way to start 2021. (end)
What a wasted opportunity, and a bummer of a way to start 2021. (end)
