White paper
Review and comparative analysis of in-use vehicle emission control programs in Guangdong Province
Controlling emissions from the in-use fleet, particularly from high emitters and older vehicles, can immediately alleviate urban air pollution. As pressure to address China’s air quality issues builds, Guangdong Province has taken several steps toward that end.
Cities in Guangdong have established programs based on their specific capabilities and needs. The most common include measures to identify high emitters, such as inspection and maintenance programs, remote sensing, spot-checking, public spotter initiatives; cleaner fuel programs; removing high emitters and older vehicles from the roads through scrappage programs as well as retrofit and repower programs; establishing low-emission zones; and vapor recovery at fueling stations, referred to as Stage II vapor recovery.
This report summarizes best practices for these in-use control programs, and is intended to serve as guidelines for policymakers seeking to design, implement, and improve their programs at the local level. In addition, the report evaluates in-use vehicle emission control programs in four cities in Guangdong’s Pearl River Delta region: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan.
The best practices discussed in this report are experiences that policymakers can learn from rather than strict rules for implementation. Effective in-use vehicle emission control is a collective result from various programs. For instance, inspection and maintenance works best when it is complemented by other efforts, such as remote sensing, spot-checking, and public spotters. Moreover, the success of these programs often depends on the specific local environmental concern and the resources available. The report concludes by suggesting detailed actions that Guangdong Province or its cities can take to enhance in-use vehicle emission control programs at the local level.