Fuel-powered machinery used in construction and agriculture is among vehicles that will undergo newly introduced carbon emissions testing, which is expected to start on August 18, according to Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA).

REMA Director General Juliet Kabera said this on July 30, in Kigali, while speaking to reporters about the new clean air campaign that the government has embarked on.

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The campaign targets, among others, emissions testing for all non-electric vehicles, from motorcycles and hybrid cars to machinery used in construction and farming.

"As long as you own an engine and you&039;re burning fuel, you are definitely releasing emissions," Kabera said, clarifying that the new testing is not only for cars and other forms of transport powered by fuel.

"So, the testing will be about making sure that the emissions you release are meeting the standards,” she said, responding to why even off-road vehicles will also be tested.

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A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, July 30, approved a new ministerial order establishing emission testing fees for all non-electric vehicles, including motorbikes. The move is part of efforts to improve air quality, enforce national emission standards, and protect public health, it indicated.

According to REMA, the emission testing will be done at the Traffic Police centres for vehicle mechanical inspections. Testing equipment is being installed at these centres, officials said.

Kabera said the clean air campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of clean air, pointing out that polluted air directly impacts our health, especially for vulnerable groups like children under five and the elderly.

She cited Ministry of Health data showing respiratory diseases as the leading cause of visits to healthcare facilities, a trend she said has correlation with the polluted air, especially in urban areas due to vehicle emissions, and in rural areas due to the use of biomass for cooking.

Kabera stated that the government had been monitoring air quality since 2017, which she daid continues to deteriorate due to population growth, increasing vehicle ownership, and lifestyle changes – whereby more people prefer motor transport to cleaner options.

"The campaign is here to say let's take care of our vehicles, let's do servicing timely and let's make sure that we do the testing,” she said.