Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief)

The document identifies critical transport-related issues in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that while the region has less than 3% of global motor vehicles, it accounts for over 11% of global road fatalities. It highlights rising urban air pollution due to fossil fuel use and inadequate emission standards, severe traffic congestion caused by poor infrastructure and land-use policies, and a policy bias toward automobiles that marginalizes vulnerable populations. Additionally, it notes that while Africa has the lowest historical greenhouse gas emissions, they are growing rapidly due to increased fossil-fuel use.

• Urban air pollution is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa primarily due to transport's use of fossil fuels, exacerbated by inadequate and poorly enforced vehicle emission standards and a lack of air quality monitoring, with only eight countries in the region having operational routine systems.
• Road crash fatalities and injuries are disproportionately high in Africa, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists; the region accounts for more than 11% of global road fatalities despite possessing less than 3% of the world's motor vehicles.
• Traffic congestion in cities is driven by ineffective public transport, lack of demand measures, poor cycling and walking infrastructure, poor road discipline, and a lack of integrated land-use policies, though the specific impacts are rarely quantified.
• Transport policies in sub-Saharan Africa typically favor automobiles over the needs of poor and vulnerable populations, necessitating a shift toward more equitable appropriation of space regarding safety, accessibility, and environmental protection.
• Although Africa has the lowest historical greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of any continent, emissions are currently growing rapidly due to a sharp increase in fossil-fuel use.

APA

Schwela, D., & Haq, G. (2013). Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief). Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/publications/transport-and-environment-in-sub-saharan-africa-policy-brief/

Chicago

Schwela, D., and G. Haq. Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief). Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/publications/transport-and-environment-in-sub-saharan-africa-policy-brief/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Schwela |first1=D. |last2=Haq |first2=G. |title=Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief) |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=17 May 2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/transport-and-environment-in-sub-saharan-africa-policy-brief/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{schwela2013transport, author = {Schwela, D. and Haq, G.}, title = {{Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief)}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/transport-and-environment-in-sub-saharan-africa-policy-brief/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }