Global Partnership toward Cleaner Fuels:

Transport-related emissions of greenhouse gases and local air pollutants pose significant problems in developed and developing countries affecting human health, damaging buildings, crops and vegetation, and contributing to global climate change. Every year, local air pollution causes millions of premature deaths and millions of cases of respiratory illness, and lead poisoning contributes amongst others to behavioural problems and learning disabilities in children. Economic consequences are staggering, with cost estimates ranging $1-4 billion annually only in regions such as Asia. Fuel quality improvements, including phase out of leaded gasoline can significantly contribute to addressing these problems.

Partnership Objectives:

• Build capacities to eliminate lead from gasoline and improve fuel quality by providing:
  • a platform for comprehensive and co-ordinated exchange of experiences and good practices in developed and developing countries related to fuel quality and the links with vehicle emissions programmes.
  • technical assistance to developing countries to effectively implement such policies and strategies.
• Set up a database of regulatory and technical case studies and information to enhance the effective co-ordination of fuel quality and related vehicle emissions control improvements.
• Set up a network of experts from both:
  • the international auto, oil and technology industries to advise on refinery reformulation, technological progress in the vehicle and fuel sectors (conventional and alternative), costs and means of financing of cleaner fuel production and utilisation,
  • governments and academia to provide technical expertise in the drafting of vehicle emissions/fuels legislation, and economic/fiscal measures, and
  • NGOs to help shape policies and raise awareness with citizens.

Three Phases:

• Phase one: Launch at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.
  Commitment by developing and developed country governments, industry, NGOs and international organisations to work together towards elimination of lead and introduction of other fuel quality and related vehicle emission related measures (including pledges by potential donors).
  
• Phase two: Regional workshops in Africa, Asia, South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
  Through hands-on technical training workshops to assist in the development of programmes of action to combat local air pollution and where feasible climate change by promoting cleaner fuels. This includes actions that can be undertaken at the legislative, administrative and the refinery levels to achieve lead phase out, sulphur and benzene reduction and other specification improvements, and surrounding issues.
  
• Phase three: Technical assistance to help countries implement fuel quality improvement programmes.
  Through technical, legal and financial assistance on the country level help build capacity in governments and refineries, further technology transfer, and thereby help implement concrete action plans that include specific, time-bound and measurable goals.

For further information, please contact:
Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, IFQC, phone: 32.2.660.7098 , e-mail: sdixson@chemweek.com
Martina Otto, UNEP, phone: 33 1 44 37 76 15 , e-mail: martina.otto@unep.fr
Kathleen Abdalla, UN DESA, phone: 1 212 963 84 16, e-mail: abdallak@un.org

Note: The fuel quality focus of this project does not negate the importance of other societal issues and concerns, including but not limited to, basic human needs and economic development. Nor does it preclude that less polluting vehicles are the only transport policy necessary to decrease the impact of transport emissions on climate change and air quality.