Abstract:

Motor vehicles remain the major source of urban air pollution and are an increasingly important contributor to global anthropogenic carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Many of the pollutants that cause urban and regional air pollution also contribute to global warming.

Great progress in reducing emissions from gasoline fueled cars has occurred in the major industrialized countries and very stringent requirements for diesel vehicles are starting to be phased in. However, the vehicle population and vehicle kilometers traveled are expected to continue to grow rapidly in the future especially in developing countries. Fortunately, many of the more rapidly industrializing developing countries are moving to tighten their vehicle emissions requirements.

Considering the growth in vehicles and kilometers driven as well as the emissions requirements, forecasts of vehicle emissions of total hydrocarbons (THC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrous oxides (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), methane (CH4) and organic carbon (OC) have been made.

In order to estimate the combined impact of emissions of all of the different greenhouse gases, mass emissions of the non-CO2 greenhouse gases are converted into the mass amount of CO2 emissions that would have the same impact on global warming.

In addition to the significant reduction in climate forcing that can be brought about by aggressively tackling the non CO2 greenhouse gases, their control will also result in massive public health and environmental gains.

Presentation: http://www.cleanairnet.org/baq2006/1757/docs/SW32_2.ppt