Sustainable Transportation Trinity: Energy, Technology and the Environment PDF

Keywords

Sustainable Transportation System, Air Pollution and Vehicular Emission, Traffic Management System, Clean Fuel, Environmental Sound Automotive Technologies.

Abstract

Despite having brought many advantages into the advancement of our productive and increasingly mobile life, motor vehicles do emit large quantities of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and a full spectrum of toxic substances, such as fine particles and lead. Each of these, along with their polluting daughter-products (e.g., ozone), can cause serious effects on public health and the environment. The intrinsic linkage between the environment and development necessitates the needs for coordinated initiatives, efforts and policies in order to tackle the issue in a comprehensive approach. Reducing pollutions emanating from transport requires an integrated strategy, which may entail sensitive traffic management, transport demand management, optimal roads systems, cleaner fuels and energy-efficient technologies, environmental emission standards for new vehicles, and sound maintenance programmes for old vehicles to curtail their emissions. This paper addresses the key issues involved in the sustainable development, prevention, improvement and mitigation of transport emissions and resultant atmospheric pollution. Also, it considers the obstacles encountering urban air quality management programmes and reviews experience to harmonize policies in different sectors with air quality management efforts. Furthermore, it offers recommendations for priorities in developing countries by integrating strategies and policies relevant to the environment, transportation, and energy sectors.