EAC states to harmonize vehicle emission standards

Member states of the East African Community, or EAC, have agreed to harmonize vehicle emission standards to promote clean energy use.

The agreement was reached at a recent EAC workshop at the United Nations offices in Nairobi, Kenya, which was attended by 40 representatives from government, oil and vehicle industry, academia, international development agencies, media and nongovernmental organizations. They came from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

Better data collection and analysis of vehicle emissions profiles, health impact assessments, and economic implications of various technology are needed, participants concluded. Consumers also need to be encouraged to shift toward cleaner alternatives.