1. BY OPONDO GERPHAS KEYAH A60/68575/2013
THE CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR CONTROLLING VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION IN NAIROBI CITY              
A Research Proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Masters of Science in Environmental Governance of the University of Nairobi
BY  OPONDO GERPHAS KEYAH A60/68575/2013

2. Introduction and Literature Review
Air pollution is the world’s largest single environmental health risk. One in eight of total global deaths is as a result of air pollution exposure. In 2012 alone, it is reported that 7 million deaths were as a result of exposure to ambient and indoor air pollution. Of the total global air pollution related deaths in 2012, almost 680,000 occurred in Africa (WHO 2014).
Air pollution also causes a variety of environmental effects including acid rain, eutrophication, haze, effect on wildlife, crop and forest damage and climate change (USEPA, 2014; UNEP, 2014).
90% of urban air pollution in rapidly growing cities in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is attributable to motor vehicle emissions (UNEP, 2014). Nairobi is in many ways typical of the fast growing cities in the developing world and is currently one of the fastest growing cities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Nairobi’s population growth rate is 4.8% per annum. The city’s population grew from 2.1 million in 1999 to 3.1 million in Its population density is 4,515 persons per sq. km (KNBS, 2012).

3. In terms of motor vehicle population, Nairobi is estimated to accommodate 30% of the total national vehicle population (Omwenga, 2011).
Kenya had 2,011,967 registered vehicles in 2013, rising from 1,009,438 in This translates to a national vehicle population growth rate of 19.9% per annum (KNBS, 2014).
Based on the estimates, Nairobi City alone was home to approximately 603,590 motor vehicle units at the end of 2013.
It is projected that in a “do nothing” scenario, the average vehicle travel speed in Nairobi will decrease from 35 km/h in 2004 to 11 km/h in 2025 as congestion increases (JICA, 2006). This makes it reasonable to assume that if nothing is done, urban air quality will worsen.
Generally the capacity and capability to assess and manage air pollution in Kenya is undeveloped. (Schwela, 2007).

4. Statement of the Research Problem
Deteriorating air quality is a growing environmental problem in Nairobi city. Motor vehicle traffic is one of the key sources of harmful emissions that pollute the city’s air.
With a fast growing human population coupled with an even faster growth in motor vehicle ownership and use, Nairobi’s vehicular air pollution is likely to worsen in coming years if appropriate abatement measures are not put in place soon, posing a great threat to human health and the environment.
At the moment there are no comprehensive measures in place to control the city’s air pollution, particularly the significant contribution of motor vehicles to the same. This study will therefore suggest appropriate measures to reduce the contribution of vehicles to the air pollution problem in Nairobi.

5. Research Objectives
General objective: To determine the contribution of motor vehicles air pollution in Nairobi
Specific objectives:
To review the policy, legal and institutional provisions regarding vehicular air pollution in Kenya;
To assess the contribution of vehicles to air pollution in Nairobi;
To determine the factors contributing to significant levels of vehicular air pollution in Nairobi;
To suggest appropriate measures to reduce the contribution of vehicles to the air pollution problem in Nairobi.

6. Methodology Sampling Technique Research Design
The study will employ the Exploratory Research Design
Study Area
Nairobi city
Target Population
Key players in air pollution control and/or the motor transport sector. These include:
Policy Makers and Implementers: National Government: Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources; Ministry of Transport and Public Works; Ministry of Planning and Devolution; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Energy; Ministry of Industrialization; National Environment Management Authority (NEMA); Kenya Meteorology Department (KMD); Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI); Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC); Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). County Government of Nairobi: Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Transport.
Vehicle Manufacturers: Kenya Manufacturers Association (KAM).
Vehicle Owners/Public Transport Operators and Automobile Associations: Matatu Owners Association; Matatu Welfare Association; and Automobile Association of Kenya.
Petroleum Dealers’ Association: Petroleum Institute of East Africa (PIEA).
Sampling Technique
Purposive Sampling

7. Data Collection Methods
Q1: Are there policy, legal and institutional provisions regarding vehicular air pollution in Kenya?
Document review and analysis
Acts of Parliament, Subsidiary legislation, court decisions, books, reports, academic work, journals, and periodicals
Semi-structured interviews
For environmental policy makers and implementers at the national and county government levels.
Q2: Is the contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution in Nairobi more significant compared to other sources?
Books, reports, inventories, data bases, academic work, journals, and periodicals
 Semi-structured interviews
For government agencies that are responsible for air quality monitoring and/or pollution control

8. Data Collection Methods
Q3: What factors contribute to the significant levels of vehicular air pollution in Nairobi?
Document review and analysis
Books, reports, master plans, academic work, journals, and periodicals.
Observations
detailed notations of behaviour their contexts e.g. road infrastructure and traffic flow; stop and go habits of Nairobi drivers, visibility of traffic emissions, fueling procedures at fuel stations, etc.
Semi-structured interviews
For all the identified players in environmental policy formulation and implementation, air quality monitoring and/or pollution control, land use planning and motor transport
Q4: What measures can be put in place to reduce the contribution of vehicles to the air pollution problem in Nairobi?
The findings from the first three objectives will inform the measures to be suggested.

9. Data Analysis and Presentation
Will involve synthesizing the information obtained from the various sources (observation, interviews, document reviews and analysis) into a coherent description of findings.
The findings will be presented in a descriptive format.

10. Activity Plan

11. Budget

12. References
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2012), Kenya Facts and Figures 2012 
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2014), Kenya Facts and Figures 2014
Japan International Development Cooperation (JICA) (2006), Nairobi Urban Transportation Studies (NUTRANS), Nairobi, Kenya
Omwenga, M., (2011), Integrated Transport System for Liveable City Environment: A Case Study of Nairobi Kenya, paper presented at the 47th ISOCARP Congress, Wuhan
Schwela, D., (2007), Review of Urban Air Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa Region - Air Quality Profile of SSA countries
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Urban Air Pollution (accessed on )
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (2014), Visibility,
(accessed on )
World Health Organization (WHO) (2014), Burden of Disease from the Joint Effects of Household and Ambient Air Pollution for 2012, (accessed on )