藉由英法海底隧道連接倫敦到巴黎及其他歐陸地區的高速鐵路列車-歐洲之星(Eurostar)，計劃在2012年之前減少每位乘客二氧化碳排放量的25% 。為了達成此一目標，歐洲之星將促進其效能與開發更為環保的發電方式。歐洲之星執行長布朗(Richard Brown)表示，「高速鐵路與飛航相較之下，高鐵航程環保的程度10倍。廉價航空已經是過去10年的事情了，我們期待能吸引更多的旅客跟我們一同旅行。」
國際環保團體「地球之友」(Friends of the Earth)表示，歐洲之星的啟動，使得在不影響民眾旅遊計劃與生活方式的情況下，同時也能降低英國溫室氣體的排放量。
歐洲之星若無法降低二氧化碳的排放量，則將在碳補償計劃(carbon offsetting schemes)上投注經費。布朗補充，「歐洲之星將負擔每趟旅程進行碳中和(carbon neutral)的費用，而這個部分完全由我們自行吸收。歐洲之星列車目前每年約產生5萬噸的二氧化碳，而今年9月起，連接歐陸到倫敦英皇十字(St Pancras)車站的新型高鐵將開始啟用，屆時列車所排放的二氧化碳，絕大多數將經由其碳補償計劃所抵銷。」
Eurostar, which links London with Paris and mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel, said it would cut CO2 emissions by 25 percent per passenger by 2012 by improving the efficiency of its trains and sourcing power from greener electricity generators. "We do know that a high-speed rail journey is 10 times greener than flying," said Eurostar Chief Executive Richard Brown. "The low-cost airlines phenomenon has come up over the last 10 years. We're looking to attract more passengers to travel with us."
Environmental group Friends of the Earth said it was backing use of Eurostar as a means of cutting UK greenhouse gas emissions without damaging people's travel plans and lifestyles.
Where Eurostar cannot eliminate CO2 emissions, it will invest in carbon offsetting schemes at its own expense, it added. "We will bear the cost of making every journey carbon neutral," said Brown. "We will not charge a penny extra." Brown said Eurostar trains currently generate around 50,000 tonnes of CO2 a year and most of this would be offset from November when the group launches its new high speed link to continental Europe from London's St Pancras station.
全文及圖片詳見 REUTERS報導
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
