Air Pollution and Public Transport in Jakarta

This assignment explores the relationship between transportation choices and air pollution levels in Jakarta, Indonesia. It analyzes research on carbon monoxide (CO), fine particle mass, and ultrafine particle number concentrations, focusing on how different commute modes influence these pollutants. The assignment also considers the environmental co-benefits of public transportation initiatives and the challenges posed by deforestation and peat fires in contributing to air pollution in Indonesia.

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL
Environmental Pollution and Control
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Environmental Challenges in Indonesia....................................................................................2
3.0 Air Pollution in Indonesia..........................................................................................................3
3.1 Factors Causing of Air Pollution...........................................................................................3
3.1.1 Deforestation...................................................................................................................3
3.1.2Industrialization and Transportation................................................................................4
3.1.3Poor Resource Management.............................................................................................4
3.2 Challenges due to Air Pollution.............................................................................................5
3.2.1 Modification of Ecosystem.............................................................................................5
3.2.2 Landforms.......................................................................................................................5
3.2.3 Atmosphere.....................................................................................................................5
4.0 Requirements for Overcoming Challenges................................................................................6
4.1Prevent Deforestation..............................................................................................................6
4.2 Improved Vehicle Technology and Fuel................................................................................6
4.3 Government Initiatives and Policies......................................................................................7
5.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................7
Reference List..................................................................................................................................8

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1.0 Introduction
With the progress of time, urbanization and development has resulted to be the root cause
for environmental depletion. Any developing country tries to construct and develop by exploiting
nature and eventually unacceptable consequences are foreseen (Alam et al. 2016). While
focusing on Indonesia, it can be said that the environment is much affected by air pollution and
the reasons are mostly because of human activities. Air pollution has not only impacted on
human health, respiratory problems and lung diseases but also depleted the ozone layer by
emitting excessive amount of green-house gasses (Yoo, Kim and Hadi 2014).This research will
discuss the factors and challenges that Indonesia is facing related to air pollution and will finally
highlight some suitable recommendations for reducing the same in future.
2.0 Environmental Challenges in Indonesia
Indonesia is developing and therefore there are plenty of infrastructure development
projects, which are mostly emitting huge amount of carbon in the atmosphere resulting in more
toxic chemicals through oxidization. Most of the projects are developed though burning dense
forests in favor of getting empty land. However, this has led Indonesia to be the 6th largest
emitter of greenhouse gases. Indonesia contributes 4.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions
(Papargyropoulouet al. 2015).
Some of the major challenges are listed below:
 Burden imposed to government from fuel subsidy
 12% Carbon dioxide emission resulting from land transportation
 90% air pollution occurring due to CO, HC, NOx, SOx, PM and O3

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 Challenges from Free Trade ASEAN Economic Community (2015), UNECA Regulation
and ASEAN MRA (2012)
LULUCF
50%
Agriculture
5%
IPPU
3%
Waste
7%
Energy
35%
Million Tons of CO2e
LULUCF Agriculture IPPU Waste Energy
Figure 1: Indonesia Emission Contribution
(Source:Kimet al. 2017)
3.0 Air Pollution in Indonesia
3.1 Factors Causing of Air Pollution
3.1.1 Deforestation
With the effect of urbanization there has been accelerated population and housing
demands, which resulted in clearing dense biologically forests. Deforestation in Indonesia is
mostly done through open fire that resulted in emitting carbon. 80% of deforestation is done
illegally by logging industries, which has ranked Indonesia to be the 3rd largest greenhouse gas
emitter (Brunet al. 2015). Carbon reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere to emit carbon dioxide
gases in excess to oxygen creating an imbalance of fresh air. On the other hand, carbon when

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reaches to the stratosphere, reacts with ozone to create hydrochlorofluorocarbons,
chlorofluorocarbons and halons. Therefore, such coolants are being destroyed to allow ultraviolet
rays to penetrate atmosphere resulting in skin diseases and cancer (Alesina, Gennaioli and Lovo
2014). Since there is excessive deforestation in Indonesia through forest fires, carbon has been
the main cause for air pollution.
3.1.2Industrialization and Transportation
Atmosphere of Indonesia is filled with harmful sulfuric acid. These are mostly emitted
from transportation vehicles. Sulfur oxides released in the atmosphere precipitates through acid
rains. This includes smog, fog and rain associated with particulate matters (Sari, Sulistyo and
Utomo 2017). Soil, water bodies and trees are getting eroded due to acidification. There have
been more than 16,000 premature deaths in Indonesia as recorded in 2012 just because of air
pollution and toxic chemicals (Braueret al. 2015). On the other hand, due to industrialization
from pulp and paper industries and logging industries hasled to fuel combustion for
manufacturing releasing toxic sulfur and nitric acids in the atmosphere.
3.1.3Poor Resource Management
The government of Indonesia can be considered as failure in resolving corruption and
illegal activities. Conservation of land and environment protection could have been concrete if
there would have been policies, rules and regulations (Aboodet al. 2015). Indonesia is extremely
poor in limiting resource exploitation and natural resource consumption. Builders, promoters and
syndicates are the most responsible for deforestation and soil erosion and illegal timbre logging
business. However, the futile environmental policies from government have resulted in poor
resource management.

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3.2 Challenges due to Air Pollution
3.2.1 Modification of Ecosystem
Emission of carbon has resulted in ozone layer depletion resulting to allow harmful
ultraviolet rays to penetrate. These rays have created human skin diseases, cancer and premature
deaths. Also, there has been huge amount of carbon in excessive to oxygen creating more carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide. Both of these gases along with sulfur and nitrogen affects the
environment through acid rain, smog and fog (Nakazawaet al. 2016). On the other hand,
Eutrophication has resulted from excessive nitrogen emitted from transport vehicles and
industries, which continues to impact water bodies by killing fishes, plants and animal diversity.
Eutrophication has also destroyed the marine ecosystem by ageing lakes and estuaries.
3.2.2 Landforms
Indonesian landforms are mostly affected due to acid rains associated with smog. Smog is
the combination of fog and smoke containing particulate toxic chemicals. These chemicals react
with buildings and sculptures to erode the surfaces. Such erosion destroys buildings due to which
more resources are consumed for restructuring and redesigning. On the other hand, due to acid
rain, the most impacted are plants and trees as the leaves are eroded due to acids. Once the
surfaces of tree leaves are eroded, it impacts on photosynthesis and finally death occurs
(Langmann 2014). This impacts on soil erosion, loss of plantation and finally raising the toxicity
in bare land, which cannot be used for agriculture in future.
3.2.3 Atmosphere
Atmosphere of Indonesia is completely filled with methane, sulfur, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, carbon dioxide, Chlorofluorocarbons and other particulates. All
these gases cumulatively have resulted to impact mortality. On the other hand, not so severe yet

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considerable challenges such as skin tan, Cardiovascular diseases and Lung diseases are quite
prominent. Considering agriculture, toxic gases in atmosphere containing sulfur will react with
fresh green vegetables to increase the amount to toxicity (Hayasakaet al. 2014). Once consumed,
this will result in cancer and health deterioration in long term basis.
4.0 Requirements for Overcoming Challenges
4.1Prevent Deforestation
The above discussion has highlighted that air pollution is mostly occurred in Indonesia
due to forest fire. Therefore, deforestation has to be prevented in future completely and more
plantation has to be done. The supplier commodity of agriculture must stop forest clearance
immediately and any further peatland development has to be halted. Moratorium for peatland
concession licensing has to be introduced (Alesina, Gennaioli and Lovo 2014). On the other
hand, water management measures can be implemented through re-flooding critical areas, which
will eventually reduce fire risks. Asia Pulp & Paper has been found to be the only company for
maximum forest burning and therefore, the government has to take measures for preventing their
illegal activities. Taking initiatives such as planting trees in road sides, parks and house gardens
will surely reduce air pollution and releasing more fresh air in the atmosphere.
4.2 Improved Vehicle Technology and Fuel
The transportation of Indonesia is mostly dependent on fuel based cars. Therefore, more
fuel combustion releases more carbon in the atmosphere. Fuel based cars need to be replaced by
battery operated sources and hybrid engines need to be put into action. Also, liquified gas can be
used as fuel since less carbon is emitted. Such replacements will take huge time and budget but
the government needs to be keen in supporting such activities (Bothet al. 2013). Electronic
vehicles and hybrid engine replacement must be done within next 5 years and infrastructure

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development has to be done. However, immediately the old vehicles which emit the maximum
carbon in atmosphere need to be replaced by new vehicles. Further use of Plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles and cleaner burning gasoline vehicles will help in reducing smoke and particulate
matters. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will help in limiting the smoke emission and therefore less
sulfur and carbon will be emitted (Dirgahayani 2013).
4.3 Government Initiatives and Policies
National Action Plan on Climate Change Adaptation (RAN-API) will act as the guidance
for providing near-term priority adaptation by the decision makers. The action plan designed by
regional provinces will need to be supported by the government and subsidy needs to be
provided in terms of financing. On the other hand, the government needs to take action for policy
adaptation from developed countries for limiting illegal deforestation. Rules, regulations, fines
and penalties needs to be designed so that none of the entities are left or given privilege.
Plantation, adaptation, rainwater canal, infrastructure development and transportation technology
need to be taken care by government in future.
5.0 Conclusion
While summing, it can be said that Indonesia can reduce its air pollution if both the
government and industrialists take a positive note in improving environment. The most important
reason for air pollution has been found to be deforestation and therefore it needs to be reduced by
joint initiatives taken by government and industrialists. On the other hand, transportation and
urbanization has to be optimized through designing policies and limiting resource consumption.
Alternative sources of resources must be utilized such as electric vehicles, hybrid fuel engines
and hydrogen based cars. In future, Indonesia will surely be the country where there will be least
air pollution.

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Reference List
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contributions of the logging, fiber, oil palm, and mining industries to forest loss in
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Alam, M.M., Murad, M.W., Noman, A.H.M. and Ozturk, I., 2016. Relationships among carbon
emissions, economic growth, energy consumption and population growth: Testing
Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for Brazil, China, India and Indonesia. Ecological
Indicators, 70, pp.466-479.
Alesina, A., Gennaioli, C. and Lovo, S., 2014. Public goods and ethnic diversity: Evidence from
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Both, A.F., Westerdahl, D., Fruin, S., Haryanto, B. and Marshall, J.D., 2013. Exposure to carbon
monoxide, fine particle mass, and ultrafine particle number in Jakarta, Indonesia: Effect of
commute mode. Science of the Total Environment, 443, pp.965-972.
Brauer, M., Freedman, G., Frostad, J., Van Donkelaar, A., Martin, R.V., Dentener, F., Dingenen,
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Brun, C., Cook, A.R., Lee, J.S.H., Wich, S.A., Koh, L.P. and Carrasco, L.R., 2015. Analysis of
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