South Africa needs to accelerate the adoption of stricter vehicle emission standards

South Africa is lagging behind other countries in the Global South in the adoption of more stringent vehicle emission standards. This is due to a delay in the phase-in of low-sulphur fuels and the fact that vehicle emissions are self-regulated by the vehicle manufacturing industry. Here we discuss why lowering vehicle emissions should be a priority in South Africa, what Euro-type emission standards entail, and how vehicle emissions are regulated in South Africa. The move to Euro 6/VI-equivalent standards in South Africa, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles, needs to be prioritised as a complementary initiative to phasing in electric vehicles.