Malawi proposes Euro 4-equivalent vehicle emission standards

Stakeholders in the transport sector in Malawi have proposed the implementation of Euro 4-equivalent vehicle emission standards in the country. The combination of clean fuels and advanced vehicle technology provides maximum health, air quality and climate benefits.  In a two-day national stakeholder meeting that was held on 11-12 April 2019, participants were informed that even though Malawi and the neighbouring countries of Mozambique and Zimbabwe were importing cleaner fuels, – lead free and low sulphur fuels – these countries are yet to reap the full benefits of reduced vehicle emissions.  Incentives and regulations to attract the importation of cleaner, low emission vehicles are yet to be enacted in the countries. In addition, legislation to require mandatory vehicle inspection and maintenance for in-use vehicles is still lacking. The participants who constituted government agencies responsible for Finance, Environment, Energy and Standards, the civil society, the vehicle industry and the UN Environment, noted the importance of introducing a combination of strategies and fiscal incentives including limiting vehicle import age, enacting minimum vehicle emission standards and introducing a CO₂ based taxation structure to incentivize import of cleaner and more efficient vehicles into Malawi.