Position Papers

From time to time ESR prepares Position Papers which state ESR's viewpoints, with the intention of providing useful guidance on particular topics.

Information in this section of the ESR website is presented in good faith, having been checked and reviewed for accuracy and fairness.

Papers are presented in .PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Reducing our Transport CO2 emissions.

This report is part of Engineers for Social Responsibility Inc. response to the urgent need for Aotearoa New Zealand to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to meet its climate change obligations.

The report outlines some key measures to reduce the high carbon dioxide emissions of our transport sector. It has been prepared by two professional engineers with extensive experience in transportation engineering and planning, both of whom are committee members of the society.

An ‘all of sector’ strategy approach is required that includes encouraging changes in current learned travel behaviours. This strategy, in order of preference, should encourage communities and businesses to avoid travel, shift travel to more shared and low emission modes and reduce emissions from essential travel.

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Engineers for Social Responsibility on Energy and Transport

This revised paper, which focuses on energy and transport, is intended to assist in identifying some of the actions which ESR considers New Zealanders, communities, cities, businesses and New Zealand as a nation should be implementing as a matter of high priority. Some actions refer specifically to Auckland, but that does not mean that they may not have relevance to other centres. More...

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Engineers for Social Responsibility Statement on Climate Change

The Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by more than 0.8⁰C over the past 100 years, with much of this increase taking place over the last 35 years. It is stated that human activity had much to do with this and that if we continue as we are much greater temperature increases can be expected in the future. Is this correct and, if so, should we be concerned about it? More ...

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ESR Position Paper on Transport Policy: 14 October 2012 DRAFT

An Excessive Emphasis on Road Construction

National transport policy assumes that vehicular traffic growth is a given and that demand for vehicular travel will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. The available information does not support that position and indeed suggests that past growth may not be a good indicator of future change. More ...

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White Roofs by Ian Montanjees

The use of ‘white roofs’ is a simple low-cost way of reducing a building’s cooling costs, improving the comfort of its users, and mitigating global warming. ESR supports the principle of using of ‘white roofs’ where appropriate. More…

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Nuclear Waste – Is it still a Problem? By Prof Jack Woodward

With concern over global warming on the increase, Nuclear Power is again being promoted in some quarters as a low carbon emission alternative to the continuing use of fossil fuels. In this paper a number of popular misconceptions on nuclear waste are exposed and commented on. Detailed comment is given on the radioactive processes and the physical problems. More…

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