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TRUE Initiative

TRUE works globally

As cities around the world confront air pollution and climate change, collecting real-world vehicle emissions data has become a global imperative. From Kampala to Jakarta, London to Mexico City, the TRUE Initiative and its partners are uncovering the actual pollutants emitted by vehicles on the road—data often underestimated by lab-based testing. These insights are essential to shape evidence-based transport policies, drive regulatory improvements, and accelerate the transition to cleaner, more equitable mobility worldwide.

Explore our regional work

Africa

Motorization has increased across the African continent where the widespread importation of used vehicles has led to significant air quality concerns. Understanding the true environmental impact of vehicle emissions has become ever more critical. The TRUE Initiative conducted the first-ever remote sensing campaign in Uganda, marking a pivotal step in understanding the continent’s unique vehicular emission profiles.

Recent research from Kampala

In Uganda’s capital city, where the population nearly doubles during the day as commuters travel in for business and trade, air pollution levels far exceed healthy limits by at least eight times. TRUE conducted the first-ever remote sensing campaign on the African continent offered real-world insight into the levels of pollution from vehicles operating in Kampala.

Policy Recommendations

  1. Strengthen vehicle import requirements to require all vehicles, new or used, to meet Euro 6 standards by 2030
  2. Implement routine vehicle inspection programs and improve vehicle maintenance requirements
  3. Prioritize public transportation, implement annual inspections, and establish an age limit for imported minibuses

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Project details

Testing schedule

July 2024

Fleet Sample
6,000 vehicles via plume chasing

Pollutants analyzed
NOx / NO2 / black carbon

Asia

Asia’s dense city centers face increasing air pollution challenges, exacerbated by diverse vehicle fleets and varying fuel standards. In cities like Jakarta, Indonesia, the TRUE’ Initiative’s real-world emissions data collection has provided critical insights into the actual pollutants emitted by vehicles on the road. Such data is indispensable for crafting targeted interventions to improve air quality and public health.

Traffic jam in Gurugram road in India.

Recent research from Delhi

The Indian cities of Delhi and Gurugram have faced severe air quality issues for decades, with the road transport sector being a major contributor to this pollution. The TRUE Initiative conducted a remote sensing campaign to develop a new understanding of the real-world tailpipe emissions of the cities’ vehicle fleets and to support evidence-based policymaking to mitigate vehicle pollution.

Policy Recommendations

  1. A swift adoption of new BS VI phases with regulatory provisions aligned with the latest Euro 6/VI-e/E standard
  2. Agencies could implement policies such as a ZEV sales mandate and a phaseout program
  3. Restricting the retrofitting of vehicles to CNG could instead encourage the retrofitting to electric vehicles within the region
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Project details

Testing schedule

February – April 2022

Fleet Sample
45,000 measurements
PVs, taxis, light-duty trucks

Pollutants analyzed
CO / HC / NOx / UV smoke

Europe

Despite stringent emissions regulations, European cities continue to face challenges in meeting air quality targets. Notable discrepancies between laboratory and real-world vehicle emissions of legacy Dieselgate vehicles still on the road represent a significant contributor to transport pollution. The TRUE Initiative has conducted extensive remote sensing campaigns across Europe from Brussels to Warsaw, London to Paris, revealing the true levels of vehicular pollutants and providing evidence to support the development of more effective environmental policies and the promotion of cleaner transportation alternatives.

Recent research from Brussels

Motor vehicles contribute significantly to air pollution in the Brussels Capital Region and present significant health risks for residents. The TRUE Initiative built upon Brussels Environment’s continued work to understand the potential impacts and benefits of the city’s low-emission zone (LEZ) by assessing the life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions of on-road transport.

Policy Recommendations

  1. Avoid any further implementation delays for the Brussels LEZ, which as scheduled, nearly doubles annual life-cycle GHG reductions by 2030
  2. A more ambitious LEZ design could generate more immediate reductions in GHG emissions, particularly by targeting heavy-duty vehicles and buses
  3. Brussels could consider investing in a robust mobility framework to promote non car-based modes of transportation
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Project details

Data Collection

February – April 2022

Fleet

21 total locations
45,000 measurements

How does your car rate in Europe?

In cities like London, Brussels, and Warsaw, real-world vehicle emissions are often much higher than regulatory standards. The TRUE Rating Tool allows you to explore how your vehicle measures up against European emission standards and offers a closer look at the full magnitude of emissions over its lifetime.

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Go to rating tool

Middle East

The Middle East’s rapid economic growth and increasing vehicle ownership have raised concerns about air quality in urban areas. The TRUE Initiative has used remote sensing to measure real-world emissions in the region, uncovering significant levels of pollutant emissions from both light- and heavy-duty vehicles, and stressed the importance of moving to world-class emission standards. Such real-world evidence is vital for informing regulations aimed at reducing pollution and safeguarding public health.

View of a highway in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Recent research from Abu Dhabi

Recognizing the significant contribution of road transport to air pollution, the United Arab Emirates has introduced a range of federal policies to reduce emissions from the sector. The TRUE Initiative conducted on-road testing to assess the real-world NOX and particulate matter emissions from light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, including taxis and city buses, operating in Abu Dhabi, and to offer policy recommendations to curb vehicle emissions in the emirate.

Policy Recommendations

  1. Adopting Euro 6 light-duty vehicle standards will further improve NOx and PM emission performance, particularly for diesel-powered vehicles
  2. The government should continue to acquire buses with minimum Euro VI standards
  3. A stricter application of the rules limiting derogations combined with stringent enforcement for taxis
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Project details

Testing schedule

February – April 2022

Fleet Sample

45,000 measurements
PVs, taxis, light-duty trucks

Pollutants analyzed

CO / HC / NOx / UV smoke

Latin America

Latin American cities, characterized by extensive use of both personal and public transport vehicles, face unique air quality challenges due to varying geographies and growing urban centers. Regulatory policies, like fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions standards, are often decades old. The TRUE Initiative’s assessments of real-world emissions have highlighted the need for updated emissions inventories, information crucial for designing policies that effectively address urban air pollution and its health implications.

Traffic, including taxis, on the streets of Mexico City.

Recent research from Mexico City

To support city officials in developing effective responses to light-duty emissions and air pollution, the TRUE Initiative conducted a real-world testing campaign that aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of vehicle emissions from the passenger vehicle and taxi fleets in the Greater Mexico City region. These insights would inform the development of policy recommendations based on real-world data to address high-emitting vehicles and accelerate the transition to lower-emitting and zero-emission vehicles.

Policy Recommendations
  1. Replace the highest-emitting taxi models in favor of zero-emission and lower-emitting models
  2. Adopt the proposed low-emission zone in the Mexico City downtown area by 2024
  3. Implement financial and non-financial incentives to help leapfrog to zero-emission vehicles
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Project details

Testing schedule

February – April 2022

Sites

45,000 measurements
Class 8 tractor trucks

Pollutants analyzed

CO / HC / NOx / UV smoke

United States & Canada

In two of the largest vehicle markets, advanced vehicle emissions regulations are intended to limit transport’s impact on air quality. Yet as the TRUE Initiative has revealed, real-world data reveals the ongoing challenges that still remain.

In both the US and Canada, the collection of real-world vehicle emissions data provides an empirical foundation for policies aimed at improving air quality and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Common interstate highway traffic in Seattle, Washington in the United States.

Recent research from Alberta

The latest analysis uses real-world data from a remote emissions sensing campaign conducted by the Clean Air Strategic Alliance to evaluate the effect of tampered or malfunctioning heavy-duty vehicles in Alberta, Canada. The TRUE Initiative estimates the prevalence of tampering or malfunctions, models HDV NOx emissions through 2035, and quantifies the health impacts of these emissions.

Policy Recommendations

  1. Establish an inspection and maintenance program to monitor vehicle emissions to identify and address tampered or malfunctioning vehicles
  2. Utilize remote sensing technology as an effective tool to identify high-emitting vehicles during on-road operation and flag for inspection
  3. Explicitly prohibiting tampering through legislation would allow authorities to take enforcement action against high-emitting vehicles.
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Project details

Samples

2,300 measurements
Class 8 tractor trucks

Pollutants analyzed

NOx