It is no secret that fossil fuel-powered vehicles pollute the air and harm public health. They spew noxious greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, as well as air pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. These emissions add to Nepal’s mounting air quality crisis, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley, which often tops the global ranking of the most polluted cities. This is evident from a preliminary test of diesel vehicles conducted by the traffic police in coordination with the Department of Environment and the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) in the Babarmahal area in Kathmandu last Monday. Of 20 vehicles tested, only 14 passed the test, while the rest released black smoke beyond permissible levels. But it is not as easy as it seems to phase out these chemical-spewing vehicles off our roads.

Since the DoTM mandated vehicle emission testing in 2017, aiming to curb air pollution through its 19 offices nationwide, efforts have been made to take random on-the-spot and other annual tests. Starting the same year, the vehicles that passed the tests were rewarded with green stickers, while those that failed were penalised. The KMC office developed pollution control guidelines as per its Environment and Natural Resources Protection Act-2021. Nepal likewise has 2003 Vehicle Emission Standards, which mandate that four-wheelers registered before 1980 must limit carbon monoxide to 4.5 percent of total emissions and hydrocarbons to 1,000 ppm. Those registered post-1981 must cap carbon monoxide at 3 percent and hydrocarbons at 1,000 ppm. Likewise, two-wheelers are restricted to 4.5 percent carbon monoxide and 7,800 ppm hydrocarbons. On paper, these sound like strong provisions.

But the reality is that these regulations aren’t making a dent. Many vehicles flout the standards, and the testing process itself is unclear and inconsistent. For instance, in Kathmandu alone, there are more than 1.2 million two-wheelers and over 300,000 four-wheelers, and conducting 20 random tests per day in a certain area doesn’t help clean the air. Moreover, the annual pollution tests have proven far from fruitful, as many vehicle owners easily bypass the system by either buying green stickers from illegal sources or bribing emission inspectors. The authorities have failed to phase out older, more polluting vehicles and raise fines for rule breakers, which could deter violators.

Nepal perhaps needs a policy-level overhaul to cut vehicle air pollution. Bangladesh, Nepal’s South Asian counterpart, for example, has a carbon tax policy for owners of multiple vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and encourage the use of public vehicles. The country should try to emulate such practices, which have proven effective in reducing carbon emissions. We as a country also must be clear on our energy policies and encourage the use of electric vehicles. It is dangerous that Nepal, while claiming to promote sustainable energy, imports LPG, fuel and petrol from India. Such policy ambiguities will only confuse vehicle owners and the general public and will be ineffective in combating air pollution.

Nonetheless, this is not possible only through government efforts. The public must be mindful of their actions and get their vehicles regularly tested and serviced. Vehicular emissions are within our control, and if both the government and the public act decisively, we can make the air a little more breathable—especially during winter, when pollution levels rise due to both vehicle emissions and wildfires.