Yangon has surprisingly clean air for a city which suffers daily city-wide traffic jams (sometimes the timers on the traffic lights count “7, 6, 5, 4, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3…”). Part of this is undoubtedly due to the government’s policy of encouraging Compressed Natural Gas usage.

Since the early 2000’s, the national government has been converting thousands of cars, buses, and trucks to use CNG. When I’m riding in taxi’s or buses, I can sometimes smell the gas seeping up from the tank.

CNG burns cleaner and is safer than gasoline, but that’s not the reason it's being promoted. The reason is much simpler: Myanmar doesn’t have oil, but it does have natural gas, 2.5 trillion cubic meters of it.

Myanmar exports its abundant natural gas reserves to neighboring countries such as China, India, and Thailand, but it also uses natural gas to generate electricity and now, to power the country’s vehicles. Nevertheless, the benefit to the local air quality is substantial.

In underdeveloped countries, environmental concerns will always come second to economic and political priorities. Local activists should prioritize issues that aren’t only good for the environment, but also benefit the local economy.

Orion Martin '11 is volunteer teaching in Yangon, Myanmar.