Assessment of the impact of road transport policies on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in Kenya

In Kenya, 93% of all freight and passenger traffic is carried by road transport. This study set out to improve the data available for analyzing road transport emissions in the country. By looking specifically at the emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases from the sector, the authors built a detailed inventory model for road transport, which included eleven pollutants. They then used a number of economic and demographic drivers to project future emissions from 2010 to 2050. The paper also included a second, simpler inventory for the emissions of other sectors in order to demonstrate the relative importance of road transport to overall emissions.

The authors found that the most effective way for Kenya to improve its air quality and reduce its contribution to short and long-term climate warming was to improve fuel economy and vehicle standards. Their projections also revealed that improving fuel sources and further investing in public transport systems would also contribute to this goal. The authors added that their inventory could be used by other countries with similar geographic and socio-economic profiles to estimate their own emissions and aid further policy work elsewhere.