URBAN COMMUTE-RELATED POLLUTION

About:

• The study ranks 14 cities (6 megacities and 8 metropolitan cities) on the basis of emissions of carbon dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, as well as energy guzzling from urban commuting.
  
  

Need of study:

• Indian cities are experiencing an explosive motorisation phase. It took around 60 years (1951-2008) for the number of registered vehicles to reach 105 million. Thereafter, the same number of vehicles was added in just six years (2009-15).
  
  
• Greenhouse gas emissions from transport—though the third highest currently among all sectors—has recorded the steepest increase, which is responsible for health-damaging toxic exposure.
  
  

Rankings on overall emissions and energy consumption:

• Bhopal tops for lowest overall emissions and energy use from urban commute
  
  
• Kolkata and Mumbai emit least among six megacities due to high usage of public transport and walking; Kolkata also has short travel distances due to its compact form.
  
  
• Delhi, despite having high share of public transport trips, is at the bottom due to the sheer number of people, high volume of travel and personal vehicles and long trip distances.
  
  
• Though metropolitan cities have scored better than megacities due to lower population, lower travel volume and vehicle numbers, they are at risk due to much higher share of personal vehicle trips and high growth rate.
  
  

Recommendations for promoting clean and low carbon mobility:

• Stop urban sprawl;
  
  
• Reduce distances between residence, jobs and recreation through compact urban forms;
  
  
• Scale up integrated public transport, walking and cycling; and
  
  
• Put restraints on use of personal vehicles.