Identification of Key Factors to Reduce Transport-Related Air Pollutants and CO 2 Emissions in Asia

Shuanghui Bao, Osamu Nishiura, Shinichiro Fujimori, Ken Oshiro and Runsen Zhang
Additional contact information
Shuanghui Bao: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyotodaigaku Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
Osamu Nishiura: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyotodaigaku Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
Shinichiro Fujimori: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyotodaigaku Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
Ken Oshiro: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyotodaigaku Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
Runsen Zhang: Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8529, Japan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: Asian countries are major contributors to global air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, with transportation demand and emissions expected to increase. However, few studies have been performed to evaluate policies that could reduce transport-related emissions in the region. This study explores transport-related CO 2 and air pollutant emissions in major Asian nations along with the impacts of transport, climate, and emission control policies using the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM)/Transport model. Our results show that by 2050, CO 2 emissions in developing countries will be 1.4–4.7-fold greater than the levels in 2005, while most air pollutant emissions will show large reductions (mean annual reduction rates of 0.2% to 6.1%). Notably, implementation of transport, emission control, and carbon pricing policies would reduce CO 2 emissions by up to 33% and other air pollutants by 43% to 72%, depending on the emission species. An emission control policy represents the strongest approach for short-term and mid-term reduction of air pollutants. A carbon pricing policy would lead to a direct reduction in CO 2 emissions; more importantly, air pollutant emissions would also be effectively reduced. Shifting to public transportation in developing countries can also greatly influence emissions reductions. An increase in traffic speed shows relatively small effects, but can be meaningful in Japan.

Keywords: transport-related emissions; AIM/Transport model; carbon pricing policy; transportation behaviors; emission reduction benefits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7621/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7621/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7621-:d:414197

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().