Five steps for cleaner air in Central Asia
来源:World Economic Forum;发表于:2022-02-09;人气指数:352
Five
steps for cleaner air in Central Asia
Views in Central
Asia's cities are often obstructed by poisonous smog.
Image:
REUTERS/Stringer
07 Jul 2021
Lilia Burunciuc
Regional Director for
Central Asia, World Bank
*None of the
countries in the World Bank's Central Asia region meet the WHO annual safety
limits for suspended small particles.
*In Kazakhstan alone,
air pollution contributes to over 6,000 premature deaths and causes estimated
economic losses of over US$ 1.3 billion per year.
*Lilia Burunciuc, the
World Bank's regional Director for Central Asia shares her own experiences of
air pollution while living in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
*The World Bank
offers five ways countries in Central Asia can improve air quality, preserve
economic gains, and save lives.
For the last five
years I have lived and worked in the beautiful city of Almaty, Kazakhstan. On
clear days, the city offers a stunning skyline backed by the Tian Shan
mountains. But clear days are becoming fewer and farther between. Sadly, these
unique views are often obstructed or fully blocked by poisonous smog.
Air pollution
is more than just a nuisance. In Kazakhstan alone, it contributes to over
6,000 premature deaths and causes estimated economic losses of over
US$ 1.3 billion per year.
Worse, the problem
extends throughout the Central Asia region, where none of the countries meets
the World Health Organization (WHO) annual safety limits for suspended
small particles. You might not guess that in December 2020, Bishkek, in the
Kyrgyz Republic, recorded the highest levels of pollution in the world.
Air pollution in five
Central Asian countries far exceeds WHO's limits.
Image: World Bank
The prevalence of air
pollution and the damage it causes should spur immediate action. At the
World Bank, we have identified at least five ways countries in Central Asia can
improve air quality, preserve economic gains, and save lives.
1. Improve air
quality monitoring.
Not all pollutants are the same. Not all locations are
the same. Not all seasons or even days are the same.
Central Asian
countries will need to shift to cleaner, more efficient energy sources.
Image: World Bank
Much of the current
data represent generalizations: averages over long periods and large geographic
areas. Such generalizations do not lead to effective solutions. We need to
improve air quality monitoring and management so we can understand the precise
concentrations of individual pollutants at specific locations, times of day and
seasons.
2. Overhaul industry
permits.
Environmental permits that set limits on emissions must
balance improved air quality with continued economic development across the
region. Industrial expansion remains a priority, but it must be conducted in
such a way that it fully contributes toward Green, Resilient and Inclusive
Development (GRID).
3. Shift to cleaner
fuels and technologies step-by-step.
Ultimately, Central Asian countries will need to shift to
cleaner, more efficient energy sources that reduce pollutants and GHG levels,
such as solar and wind. Upfront investments in these technologies can be offset
by savings from reduced energy costs over time. Optimizing the performance of
existing equipment, introducing improved technology in the near-term, and
shifting to cleaner fuels over time are all realistic and affordable steps to
take.
4. Incentivize
change.
The scale of necessary change requires a total
transformation for many sectors of industry, entire municipalities, and even
within individual households. Governments can help change behavior by using
both fiscal incentives -- such as green subsidies -- and pressures -- such as
pollutant-linked fines. Policies such as tax rebates or the implementation of
Low Emissions Zones – where vehicles meeting higher emission standards pay a
lower fee to enter or are the only vehicles that can enter the zone - can
incentivize the purchase of vehicles with higher emissions standards.
5. Aggressive, but
achievable timelines.
We would all love a quick solution so we can wake up
tomorrow and see clear skies and breathe in fresh, clean air. But it doesn’t
work that way. All of the steps above require a formal commitment from
governments, financial investments, capacity building, and the deployment of
new technology. With this in mind, it is possible to achieve improved air
quality and contribute to GHG emission reductions by 2030, but will
require an aggressive roadmap to optimize the way forward and immediate action.
With the support of
the World Bank, countries in Central Asia have begun to take initial steps
toward cleaner air. For example, in Uzbekistan, we are finalizing a study that
shows how planting more saxaul trees, a species native to Central Asia, can
help reduce air pollution linked to sand and dust storms in the Aral Seabed.
The Aral Sea Basin has degraded to such a degree that it is now mostly a salt
desert. It is the source of dust storms that carry about 15-75 million tons of
salt and dust each year and negatively impact air quality and people’s health.
The study is part of a larger effort of land restoration that we are
embarking upon across Central Asia.
A young girl in
Akbasty village, Kazakhstan, is going to school amidst a dust storm.
Image: Konstantin
Kikvidze.
In Kazakhstan, we are
supporting the national and local governments as they conduct a scoping study
on cost-effective air quality management measures. Through this work we are
collecting data and information that will guide future efforts to reduce air
pollution. In the Kyrgyz Republic, the World Bank is supporting development of
an Air Quality Improvement Master Plan, including pre-feasibility studies that
will prioritize measures to improve the air quality in Bishkek.
With these actions,
and others, we can clear the skies in Central Asia and help the citizens enjoy
better quality of life by reducing air pollution that will improve people’s
health, reduce GHG emissions, achieve billions in economic gains across Central
Asia, and save thousands of lives each year. It will make me and the citizens
of Almaty extremely happy from being able to see clear views of the Tian Shan
all year-round.