Rouhani Outlines Plan to Tackle Air Pollution by Fleet Renewal

President Hassan Rouhani outlined a plan on Monday to replace old vehicles in a bid to reduce air pollution and fuel consumption.

Those who give their worn-out vehicles to be replaced would initially have to pay part of the vehicle's price, with the rest being paid off in installments and through other incentive programs, Rouhani told a meeting on the renovation of the transport fleet, his official website reported. 

Replacement of urban vehicles, particularly the older ones, is a priority, he noted, adding that the implementation of the plan requires joint efforts by various organizations such as the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the Ministry of Industries, Mining, and Trade as well as the Ministry of Petroleum. 

Modernizing the aging road fleet is the first step toward saving the environment, the president said.

According to him, the plan is expected to help renovate the country's road fleet and remove old, polluting, and high fuel consuming heavy vehicles from the roads in three to four years.

"As a result, fuel consumption will be considerably reduced, and the saved funds would basically be used for the execution of the plan," Rouhani said.

He added that about 5.5 million barrels of oil or its equivalent is consumed daily in the country and saving energy resources would lead to an increase in exports and foreign exchange earnings. 

The president said low-quality fuel is to blame for part of the air pollution problem, adding that his administration is determined to continue taking the measures necessary to crack down on pollution and improve public health.

Public Transport

Rouhani also called for the development of the public transportation system, saying, "If the public transportation fleet in our country has the necessary resources to offer acceptable services, we can impose restrictions on traffic instead of shutting schools." 

Closing schools and universities is one of the options that Iranian authorities resort to when the air pollution reaches alarming levels. 

The president visited an exhibition held at the Tehran International Exhibition Center, featuring a number of auto manufacturers.

Domestic vehicle producers can contribute greatly to the implementation of the plan to renew the road fleet, he told reporters at the show.

Rouhani's administration has previously announced a series of measures to improve air quality, including decisions to replace a large number of dilapidated pickup trucks and urban buses and add new vehicles to expand the public transportation fleet.

The government has also been encouraging the manufacture of electric and hybrid cars and motorcycles and introduced a taxi renovation scheme in 2016, which entails sending the old cabs to the junkyard in exchange for a new vehicle.