Emission inventory of trace gases from road transport in India

Abstract

In India, road transport sector is one of the major anthropogenic contributor of GHGs and other pollutants into the atmosphere which have significant adverse human health effects. National and state level pollutants' emissions from road transport in India have been estimated by using VKT approach for the period of 2001-2013 which includes the values of average vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) by different vehicle types and emission factors (EF) for different vehicle types. The results revealed a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5%, 8.5%, 8.1%, 8.3%, 8.4%, 8.2% and 9% respectively of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matters (PM) & hydrocarbon (HC) emissions from vehicles in road transport sector during the periods 2001-2013 due to increase of vehicle population. The study also showed a negative temporal trend in the CO2 emissions per unit of GDP indicating reduced CO2 emission intensities in transport sector. Statewise emission estimates from different vehicle categories confirmed that states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi are responsible for about 68% of total emissions of CO2, CO, CH4, NOx, SO2, HC and PM