How Cairo's traffic is making the air dirty

How bad the traffic problem is in Cairo

Well over 10 million people live in Cairo, and well over 20 million live in the urban area that surrounds the city. Many people use their own cars, microbuses, cabs, and motorcycles instead of the city's overloaded public transportation system. The World Bank says that Cairo has some of the worst traffic in the world. The average passenger spends more than 50% more time stuck in traffic than in other cities.

There is too much traffic, which causes cars to keep idling, starting and stopping often, and burning fuel inefficiently, all of which add to the city's air pollution.

How Cars and Trucks Pollute the Air

1. Ash from fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, and the production of particulates

There are more toxins in the air because of transportation, like carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO), sulfur oxides (SO), carbon dioxide (CO), and fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10). Only partially burned fuel and engine wear and tear produce these toxins. Most of the time, older cars that don't have catalytic converters or other pollution control devices are the worst offenders.

2. A lot of diesel vehicles

In Cairo, buses and cars run on diesel. Diesel engines release more NOₓ and PM than gasoline engines. When people are exposed to these pollutants for long amounts of time, they develop breathing and heart problems and die too soon.

3. Motorcycles and two-stroke engines

A lot of motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds have two-stroke engines, which aren't as efficient and make more pollution than four-stroke engines. It is also true that these engines give off more fuel and particulate matter.

How air pollution from cars and trucks can hurt your health

1. Problems with breathing and heart health

Aerosolized pollutants in the air are strong causes of sickness, and pollution in Cairo's cities does make a big difference. Pollution makes long-term lung diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worse. Several studies have found a link between traffic volume, overcrowding, and hospitalizations for other lung diseases.

2. Higher death rates

Cairo has been named by the WHO as one of the megacities with the worst contamination levels. The number of deaths among disabled people, the old, and children goes up a lot when PM2.5 particles and other harmful substances build up in the air.

3. Effects on mental health and brain function

Traffic pollution may make kids less smart and increase the risk of Alzheimer's in older people who are exposed to it for long periods of time, according to researchers.

Results for the Environment

1. What do you do to contribute to climate change?

People in Egypt think that the transportation business is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The urban heat island effect, which makes the Earth warmer, is made worse by traffic jams in places like Cairo.

2. Smog and less clear visibility

Smog surrounds Cairo, making it hard to see because more and more cars are taking to the roads. Pollution also cuts down on the sunlight that hits the surface, which makes it hard for plants and the ecosystem around them to stay alive.

3. Acid Rain

The toxins that cars and trucks release into the air can mix and react with water vapor in the air to make acid rain, which damages buildings, water bodies, and infrastructure.

Actions by the government and citizens

1. Making public transportation better

By building new metro lines and adding electric buses to the fleet, the government has been trying to improve public transportation. The goal is to reduce the number of private cars on the road in the future.

2. Promoting electric and hybrid cars

Electric and hybrid cars are supported by tax breaks and charging stations that are easy to get to. This is part of Egypt's national strategy for climate change in 2050. These kinds of cars use less energy and put out fewer dangerous gases.

3. Controlling traffic in cities and building new ones

Putting in new traffic light control systems, building new ring roads, making cities smarter, and other projects are all meant to level out traffic and reduce congestion. Cutting down on idling and traffic jams cuts emissions at a rate that can be increased.

4. Controls for inspections and emissions

Vehicle checks are being done by the government to get rid of harmful cars from the road. There are holes in the regulation, and corruption makes it even harder to follow the rules.

5. Public campaigns and making people aware

The number of cars on the road can be cut down by carpooling, walking, biking, and taking public transportation instead of driving your own car. Programs that stress keeping cars in good shape also help reach the goal of reducing harmful emissions.

Creative Ways to Plan Cities and Solve Problems

1. Green paths and places where cars aren't allowed

Dutch experts have come up with a new way to improve health and air quality: they want to turn some parts of Cairo into pedestrian-only zones with green paths.

2. Adding services for cycling and bike rentals

Since biking isn't very popular in Cairo yet, bike lanes and places where you can rent bikes will be added so that people can use bikes as a way to get around. Using clean transportation helps the city cut down on pollution.

3. Keeping an eye on the air quality in real time

Putting air monitoring systems in different parts of the city helps the government and people understand and study pollution levels so they can take the right steps.


Cairo has a problem with air pollution from cars, which is a problem for many people these days when it comes to the environment and public health. At the time, some steps are being taken to fix resolve problem, but it's clear that long-term efforts are being overshadowed by things like urban sprawl, bad government, and a lack of urban facilities. Better management and more modern transportation systems, stricter emission limits, and more support for low-pollution cars and, most importantly, clean energy vehicles are some of the things that can be done to fix this problem.