Energy, environment, and mobility in three South Asian cities: making way for public rapid transit - benefits and opportunities

This study is supported by the International START Secretariat for a cross-comparative analysis of three South Asian cities - Bangalore (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), and Dhaka (Bangladesh) - with a view to suggesting implementation strategies for an effective efficient PRT (public rapid transit) system. Beneficiaries of the study include the scientific community, policy analysts, and local transport authorities. The project intends to address a pressing problem arising from the rapid growth and development in South Asian cities where urbanization is threatening environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Transportation demand management needs to be pursued more vigorously, having failed until now for lack of public transport alternatives, and political unwillingness to implement and enforce an effective PRT system. The study will collate information from each city with the following aims: (a) analyse trends in air quality and contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution, (b) evaluate the impact of increased use of a PRT system on energy demand and emissions of criteria pollutants (CO, HC, NOx, SO2, Pb, PM) and CO2 (the main greenhouse gas) using a common accounting framework, and (c) recommend strategies encouraging a shift from personal vehicles to public transport. The study will address the following questions in each city: (a) What is the status of air quality and the current levels of criteria pollutants? (b) How are the growth and composition of motor vehicles expected to vary in future? (c) What are the implications of growing passenger travel demand on fuel use and emissions? (d) What common framework can be used to perform a cross-comparative analysis? (e) What will be the impact of an increased share of PRT system on energy demand and emissions? (f) What policy changes are necessary to implement an effective PRT system? The approach involves: (1) assessment of the current situation, (2) adoption of a common framework to evaluate energy demand and environmental impact of an increase in the share of public transport, and (3) development of a sustainable and environmentally sound system of urban public transport. Towards the end of this assessment, a regional workshop will be organized by TERI in which local transport authorities from the cities selected and START officials from the region will participate. The project builds on the previous work in this area carried out at TERI; a GEF-UNEP supported TERI project initiated in September 2003, involving one institute each from Colombo (Munasinghe Institute for Development), Dhaka (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), and Bangalore (TERI). Virtually, all information needed will be collected from the partners by e-mail and any data gaps would be supplemented by field visits to the concerned city.