Low emission zones could tackle urban pollution woes

Grappling with severe air pollution issues, New Delhi has environmental charges in place for heavy vehicles entering the city. There are also tourist-focused Low Emissions Zones (LEZs) around major monuments like the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Unity. Recently, to combat air pollution and set a benchmark for urban areas across India, it was announced that three cities in Maharashtra will establish LEZs by 2026, marking a first for the country, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.

The Centre for Science and Environment in India defines LEZs as areas demarcated within cities or regions where access is restricted either through physical restrictions or through differential pricing based on emission levels of vehicles. The Centre says in a report that Globally, area based approach to regulating mobility and vehicle movement in targeted zones in cities is gaining credence and popularity to combat air pollution and decarbonize transport climate change. These initiatives are designed to meet a broad set of objectives: — mitigate emissions and carbon intensity of transport; accelerate carbon neutral mobility, clean vehicles and zero emission battery operated electric vehicles (ZEV); combat traffic congestion; promote accessibility, safe movement of all and improve living standards and equity. All these together are expected to reduce healthcare costs and increase productivity.

A recent guideline published by the Indian Roads Congress, a professional body of highway engineers in India, and highlighted by the International Council on Clean Transportation in a recent workshop held in India, recommended that road-owning agencies implement a few interventions to improve the safety of children in “school zones.” It defines a “school zone” as an area around a school where the movement of a higher number of children is expected, especially during school opening and closing times. While the purpose of this guideline is to improve the road safety of children, it establishes a premise that can help designate school zones as LEZs. A low-emission school zone would restrict the operation of highly polluting internal combustion engine vehicles around schools, especially during school hours. For maximum effectiveness, such restrictions must be applied to both commercial and private vehicles.

In an earlier World Resources Institute (WRI) India blog, it had been pointed out that as Delhi grapples with the annual phenomenon of deteriorating air quality at the onset of winter, the imposition of a series of measures was set in motion. These included the implementation of Green Zones or LEZs, with restrictions on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which the WRI blog states, is an effective way to improve the air quality in Indian cities. Electric vehicle (EV) policies of states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have proposed the implementation of such zones.

The WRI blog adds that such zones are city areas that either restrict or ban the movement of ICE vehicles. The primary goal of LEZs is to reduce the pollution caused by tailpipe emissions. This can be done by incentivizing EV usage and disincentivizing the movement of polluting diesel/petrol vehicles through measures such as entry restrictions and emission fines. LEZs also need to be supported with improvements in public transit systems and dedicated infrastructure for non-motorized transport that encourages walking and cycling. Well-planned LEZs offer multiple benefits, including improved air quality, accelerated transition to low/zero emission vehicles, and increased use of public and active transportation. Several cities across the globe have implemented LEZs to reduce tailpipe emissions. While LEZs have been implemented successfully in cities like London, Berlin, Amsterdam and Beijing, they have not seen a widespread uptake in India. Zero-Emission Zones, with a complete ban on ICE vehicles, have been implemented in and around a few tourist areas, such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, and the ecologically sensitive hill station of Matheran. While Agra and Kevadia only ban polluting vehicles, Matheran prohibits the entry of all motor vehicles. LEZs can incentivize the uptake of cleaner forms of transport and reduce local air pollution exposure, especially for vulnerable groups. With multiple state EV policies proposing Green Zones, an excellent opportunity exists for cities to develop their transport networks for reduced emissions and cleaner, healthier urban environments.