This is a decade dedicated to one cause- Clean air, Better emission norms and Equal engine sizes in the automobile industry across the globe.
No doubt!
It’s going to be a herculean task that the world has united together to act on. While the US and the EU are looking for new ways to provide citizens with cleaner air, both are rapidly introducing new innovative devices which are installed in vehicles to monitor greenhouse gas emissions.
Hence, cleaner air is now a demand, not a hope for the future.
The crucial journey in upgrading the world’s emission norms to global standards, where both developed and developing nations enjoy cleaner air and engine quality, will begin to take shape in the upcoming years. Just like the US and the EU, the African nations have begun this major revolutionary change and have adapted to the UN Environment Program (UNEP).
Countries like Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire are pushing to give 250 million people cleaner air to breathe.
Including this, the ASEAN nations are supporting the cause and have adopted the UNEP. Bangkok, for example, saw immediate relief within days of raising emission standards, and the effects of the program were visible to its people.
India’s fast track transition to Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) in the automobile industry, is aimed to bring the country up to date with Europe, Japan, and America. The Government has been proactive in turning things around. Continuing to bring new technology to India, it has been pushing to introduce electric vehicles in the country.
Bharat Stage Emission Standards are emission standards set by the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from motor vehicles and other automobiles.
The standards and timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board . Since October 2010, Bharat Stage III (BS III) norms have been enforced across the country. In 13 major cities, Bharat Stage VI emission norms have been in place since April 2010 and it has been enforced for entire country since April 2017. In 2016, the Indian government announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.
Nagpur has become the first state to welcome on board Govt’s ambitious 2030 program to form an all Electrical Vehicle fleet.
When this happens, India will turn a new page in history in the year 2020. Also, it will shed 67 years of the old rules of the automobile industry.
With so many standardization to meet, India is at the cusp of change. And it will be a major transformation. The automobile industry is globally showing signs of teetering between challenges and profits. It is a strong performer and aims to remain in this space. But due to pollution and harmful gases emitted, India needs to make this giant leap ahead. The Road Transport & Highways Ministry is confident that India will move towards a changed state by 2020.
Currently, India is on Bharat Stage IV. This adding to the incumbent situation of worsening air pollution. It is also leading to health hazards.
Environmentalists have also warned that conditions will get worse. They have highlighted the need for improved technology in order to improve emission standards.
The cost to the automakers, and oil refiners to speed up the process and meet emission norms is estimated to be more than rupees 97 thousand crores. By doing so, this essential upgrade to BS VI will reduce the diesel engines. Engines which are emitting particulate matter (PM) by 82% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 62% for passenger vehicles and more for the heavy vehicles. The Particulate Matter (PM) is harmful to humans. It also causes massive air pollution.
Although the awareness of this transition will be as challenging. But BS VI is an inevitable choice.
This is because India is the world’s third-largest green-house gas emitter besides the US and China. The Government is working on reducing the country’s carbon footprint by 35%. It sounds like a herculean task but the future is calling. And this is a goal we must meet.
India is on board to adopt global emission norms. Also, making that crucial switch to stricter standards is beneficial for all. Indians will enjoy equally technologically advanced powerful vehicles. Most of all, saving in fossil fuels. As a result, the cars of the future will be better than the existing ones. Global standards across continents are strict. Nations are pushing for cleaner air, stricter norms which will reduce pollution and use of fossil fuels.
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry have already begun the journey. Thus leading the nation to adapt to healthier and better standards.