A new assessment undertaken by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and Rwanda National police’s campaign dubbed ‘Healthy Vehicle, Cleaner Skies, has found that 80 per cent of tested vehicles emit huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change.
While Rwanda currently has 221,000 registered vehicles consisting of 52 per cent of motorcycles and 38 per cent passenger vehicles, over 95 per cent of those in operation in Rwanda are more than ten years old with less stringent emissions standards than newer models.
The huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles were identified in parts of the country such as the Huye district in Rwabuye and the bus terminal area, and parts of Kigali City among other secondary and satellite cities, according to REMA.
The campaign is said to target owners of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles and machines using petroleum products, to properly service and keep them in good working conditions to reduce emissions, which contribute to global warming.
According to reports, It also aims to urge owners of automobiles to use fuels that comply with national standards, in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to preserve air quality for all.
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Mobile emission testing was conducted in the City of Kigali as well as Huye, Rwamagana, Musanze and Rubavu districts among others, during the campaign.
In her reaction, the Division Manager in charge of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement at REMA, Beata Akimpaye said that the transport sector remains a major source of air pollution in Rwanda, especially in urban areas.
“The main contributors to air pollution linked to transport are the old and used motor vehicles imported with poor or degraded emission control technology,” he said. “Vehicles manufactured before 1999 contribute 58 per cent of Nitrogen oxides emissions and 66 per cent of inhalable particles emissions,”.
She noted that there are several preventative measures to combat air pollution including an air quality monitoring instruments system that provides data (real-time air quality index) on air quality across the country.
Story was adapted from the New Times.
