Electric mobility, cleaning up existing fleet long-term solution to air pollution: UNEP official

A real longterm solution to tackle air pollution lies in measures such as shifting to electric mobility and cleaning up the existing vehicle fleet through mandatory emissions testing a top United Nations official has saidSpeaking exclusively to PTI Videos on World Environment Day United Nations Environment Programme UNEPExecutive Director Inger Andersen said that addressing cleaner air requires a combination of shortterm emergency measures and longterm structural changeShe cited approaches experimented with by different countries such as limiting traffic restricting certain factories and managing agricultural burning during peak seasonsReal longterm solution lies in shifting to electric mobility cleaning up the existing vehicle fleet through mandatory emissions testing and ensuring that every vehicle even older ones carries a valid decal certifying that it meets emission standards Andersen saidEnforcement by authorities to ensure that vehicles without valid certification are fined and taken off the road that is basic but it is what needs to happen she addedRecently the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 9585crore initiative designed to tackle air pollution in the DelhiNCR regionThe plan focuses on phasing out older commercial vehicles by encouraging their replacement with cleaner BSVI compliant or electric alternativesOver two years the scheme will direct incentives to owners of trucks and buses that meet BSIV or older emission standards across Delhi Haryana Rajasthan and Uttar PradeshOn these measures Andersen stated that the government has delivered successful campaigns in the past that such measures are important and that shining a light on concrete actions before winter arrives is crucialNoting that the heaviest polluting vehicles like buses trucks and lorries running on diesel need to be addressed the UN official highlighted that investment in clean and green public transport is essentialFor those still cooking over charcoal access to cleaner cooking solutions is critical as is attention to indoor air pollution which disproportionately affects women and girls We must also be mindful of more localised sources of pollution like demolition dust from construction sand and dust storms and critically open waste burning Andersen saidExplaining that burning plastic and mixed waste releases a toxic cocktail of harmful chemicals linked to rising incidents of cancer and other serious illnesses she said that proper solid waste management reducing plastic footprint and developing alternatives to burning are nonnegotiable parts of the solutionThe more we invest in cleaner air the less pressure on health systems the more productive our citizens and the more vibrant our economic growth and development the UNEP chief saidAsked about the global communitys role in supporting Indias clean energy transition through technology transfer and finance Andersen said that while technology transfer remains a critical dimension of the Paris Agreement the renewables sector is booming with India itself already a significant producer of renewables making the sector increasingly marketworthyShe noted that renewables have now surpassed all other sources to become the worlds largest electricity source in 2025Andersen cited Kenya where 92 per cent of electricity comes from renewables as an example of what is possible even for oilimporting nationsHowever she stressed that technology transfer and concessional finance remain critical in areas like night storage for solardependent grids and highdemand energy infrastructure where barriers are yet to be fully brokenWe are still heavily reliant on older energy sources for highdemand applications but I believe that barrier will break within the next ten years When it does it will be essential to ensure that access to these technologies is just and equitable across the board the UNEP chief told PTIShe also flagged that the USD 100 billion climate finance goal due by 2020 was only met in 2022 with a new goal now being worked towards and called for close monitoring of both public financing commitments and private sector investmentsOn Indias need for greater battery storage capacity and access to technologies it does not yet have Andersen pointed to technologies like molten salt storage and largescale lithium storage that are on the cusp of becoming viable at scaleThis is where we really must focus climate investment discussions she saidAnderson stressed that for night storage and highenergy demand applications such as mining and heavy industry cost and technology barriers still need to be broken through but expressed confidence this would happen within the next decadeThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever