The reality about transportation is that it’s future-oriented. If we’re planning for what we have, we’re behind the curve - Anthony Foxx.
It’s understandable that the transportation industry can give you a peek into the country’s economic health, however with the recent exponential use of transportation from the inception of commercial flying to the recent ‘delivery to your doorstep’ business models, the usage of non-renewable energy source, fossil fuels have rapidly risen. Will the advancement of transportation eventually become the driver for a less suitable future?
How do motor vehicles affect air pollution?
Since burning fossil fuels accounts for more than 95% of energy consumption in transport worldwide, there’s a significant release of pollutants into the air affecting human and animal health alongside irreversible damage to our beloved Mother Nature. Some of the pollutants that are health hazards are lead (Pb), dust, particulate matter (PM), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), and volatile organic compounds (VOC). It’s reported that greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) would increase from 6 gigatons in 2000 to over 14 gigatons in 2050. This could worsen the effects of climate change to a potentially irrevocable degree.
How does air pollution affect health and climate change?
The rapid motorization in Southeast Asia (SEA) increased the prevalence of air pollution, which is now the largest cause of non-communicable diseases. Approximately 92% of the population in the Asia and Pacific region experience levels of air pollution that present a significant risk to their health which is responsible for 4 million deaths annually. Controlling air pollution reduces the likelihood of stroke, heart disease and respiratory illnesses. In terms of the environment, increased air pollution has a long-term impact on rainfall patterns which affect the monsoon seasons, a heavily relied upon source of water for agriculture in SEA.
SEA has witnessed roughly 4 million motor-vehicles production annually for the past decade, contributing to 23% of the region’s total PM2.5 emissions in 2020. The pandemic, although harmful to human health, proved beneficial to atmospheric health as air quality greatly improved with restricted transportation, however as the economy opens up these levels will rebound. Therefore it’s important to switch to vehicles that produce fewer emissions and aren’t reliant on burning fossil fuels.
Team Electrify ASEAN
The YSEALI Summit’s theme on Transportation and Electrification promotes the message of the electric vehicle revolution as a way to counter the rise in air pollution from burning fossil fuels. Team Electrify ASEAN, follows this theme and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles and keeps the conversation going on transforming our transportation system to become more sustainable in the future.
Positive Community Impact
Electrify ASEAN’s purpose was improving environmental sustainability therefore the forums discussed different topics on how electric vehicle production and renewable energy will fight climate change issues. They hosted two online forums live streamed on YouTube and Facebook Live in August, and one physical forum event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September which was joined by experts in the area to educate the youth and other climate enthusiasts the value of electric vehicles. The online forum series will continue via collaboration with UXEV in hopes to encourage the youth to support electric vehicles and be mindful of the burning of fossil fuels!
Check out the latest news on Electrify ASEAN’s forums here! Follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latest news on our environmental efforts! Watch Electrify ASEAN’s Webinar 1 and Webinar 2.
