UK drivers lower their carbon footprint

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17740356

As sales of fuel-efficient cars rapidly rise in the UK, carbon emissions from motor vehicles have decreased by 23% since 2000.  This increase in sales is the result of high gas prices and technological advances that can produce more of these cars.  The article goes on to discuss how this change in consumer behavior is linked to rising fuel prices, along with high tax and insurance costs that come along with less efficient vehicles.  Analysts believe that the way to see this trend continue is further technological investment by the government as well as more consumer incentives to buy fuel efficient cars.

The UK still has a long way to go to meet the EU emissions goals by 2020, but this change in consumer behavior has produced tangible results.  Gas prices in the U.S. are significantly cheaper by comparison, so it's not as strong of an incentive for Americans to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles.  This positive effect in reducing carbon wasn't exactly planned, but more of a reaction to a change in conditions.  If institutions in the UK can find ways to keep gas expensive and insurance rates high this trend is more likely to continue.

This example is very specific to one type of carbon emitting source, which is why it was able to be reduced effectively.  Most environmentalists, ecologists. scientists, etc. realize that targeting individual sources of greenhouse gas production is the best way to lower emissions.  I believe this type of reduction can be replicated in many other countries around the world, provided that the conditions are the same.  Fuel prices must be VERY high, enough to motivate buyers to move towards smaller/fuel-efficient vehicles, and insurance costs must also be expensive for larger cars.  Considering that a large portion of greenhouse gas production comes from cars on the road, this gives me a lot of hope that some portion of emissions can be reduced.