The complexities of transitioning away from the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) in developing countries (choke, boil or freeze)?

I have just spent 2 weeks in South America (Colombia) and observed the scale of the task to move away from ICE, specifically diesel became very clear to me. So why diesel and not petroleum? The reason is that when you exclude cars, the transport system, be it people or goods runs on diesel. A lot of the transport is very old and I would argue would not be road legal in Europe both in terms of emissions and safety. At this point I must make it clear that my travels have shown that South America is no different to other developing countries.

These developing countries are drawing people to cities in huge numbers. A lot of the work is low pay and as city centres become more affluent the poor move out, then have to travel back in. These people need cheap transport. If the emission laws of the EU were applied to the transport of these developing cities, they, with the exception of new passenger cars would grind to a halt. Cities such as London, Paris, Tokyo and even my own city of Newcastle have excellent rapid transport systems and apply the latest in vehicle technology. But even so, these cities still have pollution problems.

What became very clear to me is that residents in these developing cities have a long term problem (CO2) and a now problem NOx and PM which having personally seen and smelt it, must be causing large scale health problems, hence; choke, boil or freeze. The choke is 100% from diesel the boil or freeze is CO2 (climate change). This is not a poke at diesel, but a poke at dirty diesels. Dirty because they are old, not maintained and the age means technology deficit. Yes, long term climate change has to be addresses but we need short term action to reduce PM and NOx. I saw a bus change gear on a hill and the people near literally disappeared into black smoke. CO2 is a global activity however; Diesel pollution is localised, and as such control falls to individual countries or even cities. So the question is simply, how or is there even the will to tell the poor that; the cheap transport has gone, and they will pay directly for cleaning the air through increased fares and goods price.

The District Secretary of Health in Bogotá has said that respiratory illnesses are the number one cause of infant mortality in the capital. Around 600,000 children under the age of five are treated for respiratory problems every year. Research shows that in any given city, 25% of the vehicles cause 90% of the pollution. According to the Secretaría de Ambiente, 43% of Bogotá’s air pollution comes from trucks, 23% buses (including SITP and TM buses) and 14% other diesels. These vehicles are the priority and not personal vehicles, unless they really are in a bad condition. I repeat that this is not a Bogota only problem.