Greener vehicles aren’t the solution to air pollution and won’t make us healthier, health experts warn.
According to Health24.com, the World Health Organisation (WHO) claims that transport policy recommendation from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) focus too much on better fuel and engine performance, and not enough on health impacts of personalised transport including accidents, pollution and the physical sloth linked to car culture.
“The IPCC is remiss in only focusing on climate change,” said Carlos Dora of WHO’s Department of Public Health and Environment.
The warning against the unhealthy nature of car-dependent nations, came at the COP17 climate change conference in Durban yesterday, as the organisation launched its new ‘Health in the green economy’ report.
“ ‘Better’ transport – better for climate and health, should focus on promoting a mix of high-quality rapid transit/public transport and active transport i.e. safe cycling and walking access in our cities,” Dora said.
Although greener cars cut carbon emissions, they do nothing to impact on traffic injuries, air pollution, physical inactivity and noise stress.
Traffic injuries and urban air pollution, largely linked to cars, kill around 2.6 million people globally per year. The organisation says the physical inactivity associated with car culture accounts for 3.2 million deaths annually.
A shift to diesel cars, especially in Europe, may have helped lower CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy but may have lead to an increase in the emission of small particulates, which get deeper into the lungs.
The solution to world transport woes is a combination of improve public transport facilities and better facilitation of active forms of transport such as walking and cycling, the organisation claims. This approach to transport is not only healthier but more cost-effective too, reducing congestion, reducing the need for costly road repairs and are less vulnerable to price shocks and supply interruptions in oil or other fuels.
Additionally, as developed countries shift to greener vehicles, older, more polluting vehicles are still being resold in developing countries, worsening their air pollution and congestion.
Read the full article at Health24.com.
