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The head of the National Center for Air and Climate Change said: Implementing a car-free day, by reducing the traffic of private cars and increasing the use of public transport, can help reduce air pollution and the country's fuel imbalance.
– According to the Public Relations of the Department of Environment; Ahmad Taheri, speaking about ‘Car-Free Day’ and referring to the considerable share of the transport fleet in emitting air pollutants in metropolises, said: In cities such as Tehran and Mashhad, the transport fleet has a dominant role in emitting pollutants; so that in Tehran, about 60 percent of particulate matter emissions and about 80 percent of gaseous pollutant emissions are borne by this fleet.
While stating that the trend of pollutant changes over daily and long-term periods clearly shows the dominance of transport-fleet emissions in the formation of air pollution, he added: Any action that can be taken to reduce pollution emissions from this fleet will directly affect air pollution and also the country's fuel imbalance.
Referring to the order issued to implement a car-free day, the head of the National Center for Air and Climate Change stated: If this measure leads to a real reduction in private car traffic and an increase in the use of public transport, especially in the cold season of the year when the most air pollution occurs, it can play a considerable role in reducing pollutants.
Referring to the heavy traffic in metropolises, Taheri continued: In the current conditions, cars travel long routes at very low speed and in a stop-and-go state, and as a result, the amount of pollutant emissions from this part of the fleet is very high.
He emphasized: If we can, by taking measures, reduce traffic and the use of private cars by about 10 percent, the amount of reduction in pollutant emissions from cars will be more than 10 percent; because in these conditions, we will also witness smoother traffic.
The head of the National Center for Air and Climate Change noted: These measures will once again help solve the country's two main problems, namely the fuel imbalance and air pollution.
Source: Young Journalists Club
