Publication: Toward Cleaner Urban Air in South Asia: Tackling Transport Pollution, Understanding Sources
Date
2004-03
ISSN
Published
2004-03
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This ESMAP study was undertaken to
provide technical input to support the region-wide process
of developing and adopting cost-effective and realistic
policies and efficient enforcement mechanisms to reverse the
deteriorating trend in urban air quality in South Asia. It
focused mainly on fine particulate matter, estimated to
account for most premature mortality and illnesses caused by
outdoor air pollution. Through stakeholder feedback, the
study examined two areas where more information and policy
analysis could complement ongoing activities on air
pollution control: making vehicle emissions inspection more
effective and understanding sources of small particulate
matter. Poorly maintained older technology vehicles
contribute disproportionately to total vehicular emissions.
A common approach to identifying gross polluters and
ensuring that they are repaired or retired is a vehicle
inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. The analysis
carried out in this study recommends that limited resources
be concentrated on applying more robust (but also costly)
test protocols to vehicle categories in large cities likely
to contain a disproportionately large fraction of high
annual-kilometer, gross polluters (for example, commercial
diesel vehicles). The ultimate goal of I/M is to reduce
human exposure to elevated concentrations of harmful
pollutants. Where air pollution is not serious, the number
of people exposed is not large, or for vehicles that are not
driven many kilometers a year or do not pollute much (such
as new gasoline vehicles), the benefit of testing vehicles
would be much less limited, if not negligibly small.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2004. Toward Cleaner Urban Air in South Asia: Tackling Transport Pollution, Understanding Sources. Energy Sector Management Assistance
Programme (ESMAP) report;no. 281/04. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18860 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”