1166438 - Accelerating the Transition Away from Diesel

This panel will present on regional and state efforts to transition away from diesel fuel usage. The panel will address the themes of the health, climate, and equity impacts of diesel usage; zero-emission heavy-duty technology availability and market growth; the role of incentive funding in market growth; and the perspective of local government on the transition away from diesel usage.

Diesel exhaust causes significant public health effects and accelerates climate change. The California Air Resources Board estimates that on-road diesel and off-road mobile engines comprise 54 percent of the state of California’s total black carbon emissions, a short-lived climate pollutant that is contributing significantly to global climate change. Diesel air pollution is highly toxic and can have an immediate impact on the health of residents in communities where emissions are most concentrated. The impacts will fall most heavily on communities and populations already significantly impacted by air pollution, environmental hazards, and economic inequality.

The transition away from diesel fuel usage requires the collaboration and coordination of municipal, regional, state, and private stakeholders to spur the commercialization of zero-emission heavy-duty technology and achieve air quality, health, and climate benefits for communities impacted by diesel air pollution. By targeting funding at key points in commercialization, we can accelerate the adoption of new technologies and achieve health and climate benefits sooner than we otherwise would.