This paper describes a United Nations (UNDP/UNIDO) regional project, now being implemented, that aims to help countries of the Asia-Pacific region to use a common approach to address vehicle emission problems. The project aims to set up an effective framework for cooperation between the region's countries in the area of motor vehicle emission control, and specify how to introduce common standards and control procedures for motor vehicle emission control, at least for certain groups of countries in the region. Based on the countries' requirements, the following issues were identified for the project to address: (1) emission standards for new motor vehicles; (2) procedures for inspecting motor vehicles in use; (3) fuel quality standards; and (4) practical policies for improving vehicle maintenance. A regional network for these purposes has already been set up and begun work. It is preparing a series of Guidelines for specific vehicle-emission-related issues, requiring a common approach in the region, to help individual governments to address motor vehicle emission problems. The Guidelines consider factors that affect potential solutions of common problems, are prepared by experts on the basis of missions to the region's countries, and assessed and agreed at Expert Group meetings.
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