Carbon Dioxide Emissions by the Transportation Sector and Its Impact on Health in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Abstract

Kathmandu Valley (approximately 570 km2) is the largest city and the capital of Nepal. In 1991, it had a population of 1.1 million. The population rose to nearly 2.5 million in 2011, with a population density of 4,386/km2. This is about 1.6 times the population density of an average Canadian urbanized area, which is 2,656/km2. The transportation sector is the largest source of air pollution in the valley. In 1990, there were 40,133 vehicles in the valley. This number reached 330,336 in 2011, an increase of 8-fold within 20 years. Recent data showed that there are 15,008 diesel and 315,328 gasoline vehicles. This paper determines the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by these vehicles. Vehicle data were collected from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Kathmandu, Nepal. The emission rate of each type of vehicle was collected from the vehicle manufacturers. The study showed that Kathmandu Valley had highest level of pollution in Nepal. The CO2 emission from each type of vehicle also was calculated. Recommendations regarding improving the air quality of the valley are presented.