The transport sector as a source of air pollution

Colvile, R. N., Hutchinson, E. J. and Warren, R. F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0122-1599 (2002) The transport sector as a source of air pollution. In: Air Pollution Science for the 21st Century. Developments in Environmental Science, 1 . Elsevier, pp. 187-239. ISBN 978-0-08-044119-1

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Abstract

Transport first became a significant source of air pollution after the problems of sooty smog from coal combustion had largely been solved in western European and North American cities. Since then, emissions from road, air, rail and water transport have been partly responsible for acid deposition, stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. Most recently, road traffic exhaust emissions have been the cause of much concern about the effects of urban air quality on human health and tropospheric ozone production. This article considers the variety of transport impacts on the atmospheric environment by reviewing three examples: urban road traffic and human health, aircraft emissions and global atmospheric change, and the contribution of sulphur emissions from ships to acid deposition. Each example has associated with it a different level of uncertainty, such that a variety of policy responses to the problems are appropriate, from adaptation through precautionary emissions abatement to cost-benefit analysis and optimised abatement. There is some evidence that the current concern for road transport contribution to urban air quality is justified, but aircraft emissions should also give cause for concern given that air traffic is projected to continue to increase. Emissions from road traffic are being reduced substantially by the introduction of technology especially three-way catalysts and also, most recently, by local traffic reduction measures especially in western European cities. In developing countries and Eastern Europe, however, there remains the possibility of great increase in car ownership and use, and it remains to be seen whether these countries will adopt measures now to prevent transport-related air pollution problems becoming severe later in the 21st Century.

Item Type: Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords: environmental chemistry,pollution,atmospheric science,health, toxicology and mutagenesis,sdg 3 - good health and well-being,sdg 11 - sustainable cities and communities,sdg 12 - responsible consumption and production,sdg 13 - climate action ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2304
Faculty \ School: University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups: University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 25 May 2022 12:30
Last Modified: 20 Mar 2023 12:49
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/85156
DOI: 10.1016/S1474-8177(02)80009-2

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