Asia's CO2 emissions from transport to triple -ADB
Source: Reuters
MANILA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Soaring car sales will drive a tripling of carbon dioxide emissions in Asia from transport over the next 25 years, according to a study released on Thursday by the Asian Development Bank. The number of cars and SUVs in the People's Republic of China could grow to as much as 15 times present levels over the next 30 years to more than 190 million vehicles, said the report, "Energy Efficiency and Climate Change: Considerations for On-Road Transport in Asia". In India, the growth could be as much as 13 times, the report said, adding that carbon dioxide emissions from road transport could be expected to rise by 3.4 times for China and 5.8 times for India over the same period. Air pollution and congestion from transport would also rise to levels that seriously hamper the movement of people and goods, said the report released to coincide with a regional meeting on air quality this week in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta. U.N. figures show China is already the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide after the United States. India is the fourth largest and Japan is fifth. The report said the widespread use of motorcycles in many countries in emerging Asia was likely to change as rising incomes and expanding urban populations led to an explosion in car sales. But it was this very combination of accelerating incomes, urban growth and expanding vehicle ownership which, if left unchecked, risked limiting the prosperity of Asian economies and cities, the report said. It said a change in vision was needed for the transport sector that took into account local air pollution, congestion, energy efficiency and climate change implications. (Reporting by Carmel Crimmins, editing by David Fogarty; email: carmel.crimmins@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: carmel.crimmins.reuters.com@reuters.net; + 63 2 841 8934))
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