Analysts call for cleaner air

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city seems to have taken up a new hobby: establishing Car Free Days. On Dec. 30 it will celebrate the third such day in four months.

This time it will be held in two areas: Jl. Sudirman and Thamrin in Central and South Jakarta and Old Town in West Jakarta.

The city calculates that during the last Car Free Day in November, emissions decreased by 40 percent.

However, transportation analysts say such events alone will not have significant, lasting impacts on Jakarta's air quality.

"Car Free Day is not enough," said Damantoro, transportation and environment program officer at Swisscontact.

"The idea of Car Free Day is to reduce the use of private vehicles. But if public transportation is not improving, the goal will not be reached," he said.

Bambang Susantono of the Indonesian Transportation Society urged the administration to improve public transit.

He said more people would use it if it were safe, affordable, reliable and comfortable.

In 2005, the city enjoyed only 28 days of good air quality. The number has since risen gradually, with 45 days in 2006 and 60 days until Dec. 27 this year. The administration hopes to raise the total to 100 days in 2008.

To encourage people to use public transportation, Damantoro said the administration should urge real estate developers to provide it in housing estates. Residents there often have no alternative to buying a car.

"Housing estates could be a good place to introduce people to public transportation," he said.

Bambang said the administration should apply a two-pronged, "push and pull" strategy.

He explained that the "push" could take the form of limiting vehicles in the city center, setting high parking rates and using a three-in-one policy. The "pull" would be improving public transportation.

Driejana, a lecturer at Bandung Institute of Technology, said the administration should explore other options to clear the air.

She explained that an eco-friendly building that used natural lighting could also reduce air pollution.

A 2006 study showed that the amount of benzene in Jakarta's air was four times higher than acceptable levels, while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution was 30 times higher.

The city administration says 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta comes from car emissions, and the rest from industry.

On weekdays, at least 2.5 million private cars and 3.8 million motorcycles traverse the city's roads.

Budirama Natakusumah, head of the city's Environmental Management Board (BPLHD), emphasized that besides holding Car Free Day, the administration planned to start enforcing compulsory vehicle emissions tests in January.