CLEAN AIR ASIA INDIA NEWSLETTER

AIR QUALITY

Delhi: Air pollution exposure can reduce 3 years of life expectancy This March recorded the lowest particulate matter (PM2.5) levels-fine, respirable pollutants-in the past four years. While this could seem like a relief at the moment, scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) say pollution levels are becoming increasingly unpredictable because of erratic meteorological conditions. The average monthly PM2.5 level dropped to 72 microgram per cubic metre this year from 112 (approximately) in March 2012 Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12333 80,000 deaths due to coal fired plants Atmospheric emissions from the coal-fired power plants are responsible for a large burden on human health. In 2010-11, 111 plants with an installed capacity of 121 GW, consumed 503 million tons of coal, and generated an estimated 580 ktons of particulates with diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), 2100 ktons of sulfur dioxides, 2000 ktons of nitrogen oxides, 1100 ktons of carbon monoxide, 100 ktons of volatile organic compounds, and 665 million tons of carbon dioxide. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12367

Chandigarh: Pollution levels reach dangerous levels Pollution level has soared as the respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) has moved beyond the permissible limit, a report of the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee has revealed. The committee divided the city into five zones, Sector 17, Punjab Engineering College, Industrial Area, Government College for Girls, Sector 42, and Kaimbwala village, to measure the air quality. To its shock, the RSPM in all the areas was much higher than what was allowed (see box). Diesel autos are the main culprits. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12368

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Overloading of trucks leads to exponential emissions Now, according to transport research organizations, overloaded vehicles have become one of the worst offenders when it comes to pollution and unsafe driving. A vehicle carrying goods beyond its payload capacity emits exponentially more toxic gases than the one that is not overloaded, as per data from the Central Road Research Institute and the Indian Federation of Transport Research and Training. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12364

E-rickshaws set to get new rules The e-rickshaw policy, which has got the approval of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, aims to give some sort of legitimacy to these slow moving vehicles - costing between Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh each - that have sprung up in the city in the last one year or so. A senior transport department official said, “Now, each of these vehicles will have to be registered. The drivers will have to wear uniforms and public transport vehicle badges and get commercial driving licence. The e-rickshaws’ routes would also be regulated, with curbs on coming on to busy roads,” Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12317

Online logistics platform leads to savings A software platform developed by Snapdeal will help sellers choose the best courier options to deliver products to customers. The Gurgaon-based company has offered this service to sellers on its marketplace for over a year now, before deciding to throw it open to rivals for a fee. Experts are of the view that it makes sense for online retailers to open out such technologies and earn revenue from them. Logistics has been a major challenge for online retailers in India who have had to craft their own strategies in the absence of established systems to handle cash-on delivery and same day shipments Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12336

Bangalore has most expensive bus transport in the country Bangaloreans pay the highest bus fares, while Chennai's citizens pay the lowest. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) charges the highest basic minimum fare across states. BMTC recently hiked its fares post polling day in Karnataka by 15% across services. The basic fare for ordinary bus service is Rs 6 for the first stage - a stage is a 2km stretch of a trip, and a standardized unit for public bus transport systems in India. The standard reason for the hike is the spike in diesel rates Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12363

What the scrappage policy means to the auto industry The scrappage policy should not been seen as a stimulus package for the industry. This is going to help the people at large as it will reduce the pollution. There is a huge volume accumulation of vehicles of road which is allowed to continue, this could be a major problem. The whole idea is not one time stimulus incentive to clear the system initially but to get it going ahead. Even in a country like Germany which is well established - such incentives are necessary, because people are held back by lethargy, inertia and sometime by lack of information. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12370

Delhi: Supreme Court moved for additional auto rickshaw permits Even as the transport department is in the process of allotting around 45,000 new auto rickshaw permits, it has moved the Supreme Court to allow it to make 3 lakh permits available in the city. The number of auto permits required is based on the premise that around 20 autos are needed every 1,000 persons. The transport department claims cities like Mumbai and Chennai have over 2.5 lakh autos functioning for a much smaller population. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12371

ENERGY

Fuel demand growth slowest in 12 years India’s fuel demand rose by its slowest pace in almost 12 years after monthly price increases chipped away growth in diesel consumption. The world’s fourth largest oil consumer saw petroleum products demand growing by a meagre 0.7 per cent to 158.197 million tonnes in 2013-14, according to the latest Oil Ministry data Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12369 Fuel standards may be improved in 2021 India may upgrade nationwide fuel standards to eliminate cancer-causing particle emissions from vehicular exhaust by 2021, nine years behind other developing countries such as Turkey and Brazil. India’s pumps may start selling fuels of the same quality sold in Europe by April 2021, according to a draft copy of recommendations by the oil ministry’s auto fuel policy panel, obtained by Bloomberg News. The deadline is contingent on state-run refiners such as Indian Oil Corp. (IOCL) getting the funds needed to upgrade their facilities, according to the draft. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12337

Ministries differ over vehicle fuel efficiency norms The ministry of road transport and highways has objected to the power ministry's recently-notified fuel efficiency norms for passenger vehicles, reflecting the concerns of India's automobile industry that new emission levels are being stipulated a year ahead of the deadline that had been agreed. The road transport ministry has asked the power ministry to re-examine and rectify the notification for the norms to be implemented and issued under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), the industry taking exception to various provisions. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12366

INNOVATIVE EFFORTS

Parking information available online Motorists can view location, dimensions and availability of space at facility. Thanks to a tie-up between the city administration and Google, motorists in Chennai can now check out available parking lots in Adyar, Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Anna Nagar and Royapuram before heading there. Motorists will be able to view the exact location of Corporation-owned parking lots on a road by visiting www.chennaicorporation.gov.in Not only will they be able to view the image of a parking lot, but also find the address, type of parking allowed and dimensions of the parking space. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12327 INTERNATIONAL

Cycling in Hanoi gets boost The city authority says around 250 cycles will be available for rent for just US$0.19 per hour that will be launched soon in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. Hanoi is among the five major cities in Vietnam that will introduce bike rentals. The four other cities are Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Danang and Can Tho. Ministry of Transport’s Transport Department head, Khuat Viet Hung, told local media that over the last two years, the number of cyclists in Hanoi had increased. “In the downtown areas, such as the old quarter in Hanoi, where the traffic flow is dense, bicycles are very appropriate,” he said Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12315

Civil society urges govt to declare 2015 as year of AP awareness Local scientists and doctors called on Malacañang to declare 2015 as the National Air Pollution Awareness Year (NAPAY) in view of the worsening air pollution in the country and the risk of increased cancer cases it may bring. Dr. Custer Deocaris, a scientist of the Department of Science and Technology, said there is a need to raise awareness on air pollution, especially after the recent move of the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classifying air pollution as a carcinogen.. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12340

China, South Korea, Japan environment ministers discuss AP issues Environment ministers from China, South Korea and Japan on Tuesday discussed jointly response to common environmental challenges in Northeast Asia, stressing further strengthening of joint efforts to prevent and control air pollution. The 16th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among China, South Korea and Japan (TEMM16) has been held in Daegu, a city southeast of South Korea from April 28 to 29. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12359 CLEAN AIR ASIA IN THE NEWS

Integrated Conference of BAQ 2014 and 8th EST in Colombo BAQ 2014 is co-organized by Clean Air Asia, the Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy of Sri Lanka and Clean Air Sri Lanka together with development partners and other supporting organizations. AQ is the leading event on air quality in Asia, covering the key sectors of transport, energy, industry and climate change, with a particular emphasis on government policies and measures. Policy makers, practitioners and industry leaders meet at BAQ to network, innovate, learn and share experiences. Past BAQs have proven to leverage change, influence policies, initiate new projects and programs across Asia and not the least establish innovative partnerships. The 8th Regional EST Forum in Asia is co-organized by UNCRD, the Ministry of Transport of Sri Lanka, and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. The event aims to call for more progress in EST as a key driver for sustainable development to enhance national productivity and human development, while protecting the environment and local ecosystems. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12274

Clean Air Partnership in Bangladesh holds 1st meeting with experts On this 1st CAP Bangladesh workshop, a synopsis of the chapters from the CAMP Bangladesh publication was presented for experts' review. The CAMP has six chapters detailing Bangladesh air quality profile into: sources and drivers of air pollution, state of air quality, impacts of air pollution, policies and measures and stakeholders. The CAMP Bangladesh aims to give a baseline reference of the current situation in air quality management in Bangladesh and to give recommendations on possible action steps to be taken through a consultative process of priority needs assessment by various stakeholders. Read more: http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/12342

About Clean Air Asia www.cleanairasia.org

Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (Clean Air Asia) promotes better air quality and livable cities by translating knowledge to policies and actions that reduce air pollution and greenhouse emissions from transport, energy, and other sectors.

Clean Air Asia was established as the leading air quality management network for Asia by the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and USAID in 2001, and operates since 2007 as an independent non-profit organization. Clean Air Asia has offices in Manila, Beijing and Delhi, networks in eight Asian countries (China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) and is a UN recognized partnership of almost 250 organizations in Asia and worldwide.

Clean Air Asia uses knowledge and partnerships to enable Asia’s 1,000+ cities and national governments understand the problems and identify effective policies and measures. Our four programs are: Air Quality and Climate Change, Low Emissions Urban Development, Clean Fuels and Vehicles, and Green Freight and Logistics.

The biennial Better Air Quality (BAQ) conference is the flagship event of Clean Air Asia bringing experts, policy and decision makers together to network, learn and share experiences on air quality management. Past BAQs have proven to influence policies, initiate new projects and establish partnerships.