Energy Use and CO2 Emissions of Passenger Vehicles in Bahrain - A Case Study

Although there has been rapid growth in the number of passenger vehicles in Bahrain accompanied by an increase in energy demand, the CO2 emissions per vehicle has remained unexplored. This paper contributes to closing the information gap with regard to CO2 emissions, fuel economy, and distance travelled. A bottom-up approach developed by the Global Fuel Economy Initiative that utilizes the vehicles’ specifications is used to calculate the missing indicators. Analysis shows that fuel economy of passenger vehicles has improved by an average annual rate of 0.7 % between 2000 and 2010. This rate is lower than that of many developed and developing countries. We conclude by emphasizing the need for policy intervention through introducing fuel economy standards in Bahrain. Although the focus of this paper is on Bahrain, the methodology is readily applicable in other countries where similar data deficiencies can be found.