Download or read book Cleaner Transport Fuels for Cleaner Air in Central Asia and the Caucasus written by Masami Kojima and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban air pollution is a matter of concern in many of the newly independent sates of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The poor quality of the fuel used by the largely poorly maintained vehicle stock just worsens emissions problems. It is estimated that nearly 40,000 people die prematurely and about 100,000 people fall ill every year in the big cities of the region as a result of exposure to excessive air pollution. The projections for the next 10 to 15 years are for higher vehicle numbers and increased vehicle use leading to a steady rise of damaging pollutants if current policies regarding fuel specifications and vehicle standards are not addressed quickly. This report gives the World Bank's assessment of the problem faced by the countries in the region. It puts forward a framework for short- and medium-term measures for improving fuel quality and vehicle emission s performance.