Air pollution: an agenda for cleaner energy

Commemorating the earth day on 22nd of April, Minister of Environment announced a ban new cars production (here) to reduce air pollution in the big cities. It sounds sensible with the fact that population of car has been increasing over 12% per year. As a result, cars in the roads has exceeding the current carrying capacity of existing roads. Regarding to the target, this minister' proposal would be ineffective. Why?

Any minister even president can't do much in terms of stopping car production besides Indonesia is not car producer instead we assemble imported car domestically, some of them are completely build up (CBU). Let imagine that minister can persuade the companies not to sell cars to Indonesia, as soon as the companies will flee to other neighbouring countries just to find softer businesss environment' regulations. Unemployment would rise adding up to current 12,7 million jobless population (here)

Now, if you can't find any new car in the market, where do you go? 2nd hand market or maybe black market. Although the 2nd hand market gives you better price, it will be slightly higher than before. You may find good car but you have to be aware that only few of them has good quality in terms of latest technology to reduce emission. In situation where less choice available, you would end up with affordable car wether or not it has proper technology for emission reduction. Emission technology would not be your first priority to buy car. So, moratorium of car production is not really as green as it looks.

Clean energy is a global agenda, and it would not be solved only with reducing car production. Instead it should be integrated with other agenda such as providing more conservation area in the cities. It has to be put as part of spatial plan which regulate and enforce the application of emission stadard. Lastly, economic incentive such as tax reduction or tax burden would encourage or discourage people to comply.