Purpose of Initiative: The Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles is helping to reduce vehicular air pollution in developing countries by promoting the elimination of lead in gasoline and encouraging the adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies. Phasing lead out of gasoline, and eliminating human exposure to lead, has an immediate effect on the health of millions of people. This global partnership, with members from governments, international organizations, industry and civil society, was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in September 2002.

Partners: This initiative has a diverse array of sixty-five partners from governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations. For a complete and up-to-date partners list, please visit the partnership website at: www.unep.org/pcfv. As of September 9, 2004 partners include:

Government: Canadian International Development Agency; Chile National Commission on the Environment (CONAMA); China State Economic and Trade Commission; Democratic Republic of Congo – Ministère de l’Environnement, Conservation de la Nature, Eaux et Forêts; Environment Australia; Environment Canada; Ghana Environmental Protection Agency; Italy Ministry of Environment and Territory; Kenya National Environment Management Authority; Mexico Office for Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT); Mexico Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE); Mozambique Ministry for Coordination of Environmental Affairs; Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment; Nigeria Federal Ministry of Environment; Nigeria Ministry of Industry; South Africa Department of Minerals and Energy; and the United States of America (Department of Energy; Environmental Protection Agency; and the Agency for International Development).

Civil Society: Environmental Defense; Environmental and Energy Technology and Policy Institute; Environmental Liaison Centre International; FIA Foundation; Forum for the Environment; Global Environment and Technology Foundation; Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team; Natural Resources Defense Council; Regional Environment Center for Central and Eastern Europe; Southern Centre for Energy and Environment; The LEAD Group; Trust For Lead Poisoning Prevention; World Resources Institute; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Daedalus LLC; Mike Walsh; Miriam Lev-on; and Wellela German.

Private Sector: American Petroleum Industry; Asian Clean Fuels Association; BP America, Inc.; Ethyl; Ethyl Canada, Inc.; European Fuel Oxygenates Association; International Fuel Quality Center; International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association; Japan Petroleum Energy Center; Lubrizol Corporation; Petrobras; Petroleum Institute of East Africa; Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; American Honda; Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA); Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst (AECC); Association of International Automobile Manufacturers; Engine Manufacturers Association; International Truck and Engine; Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association; Manufacturers of Emission Control Association; National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA); Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA); and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers

International Organizations: Central American Commission on Environment and Development; Pan-American Health Organization; UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs; and UN Environment Programme.

Partnership Targets:
The Partnership has two key goals:

• Eliminate lead in gasoline worldwide; and
• Reduce sulfur in diesel and gasoline fuels, along with adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies.

Progress Towards Targets:
Eliminate Leaded Fuel: Due in large part to the efforts of the partnership, the progress on lead phase out in Africa is considerable: over half of all gasoline sold in Sub-Saharan Africa is now unleaded. As of August 2004, nine Sub-Saharan African countries have eliminated lead in gasoline: Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. Twelve additional African countries with refineries have set dates for eliminating leaded gasoline. Kenya announced that it too would switch to fully unleaded gasoline by January 1, 2006.

In April 2004, the Partnership released its consensus report on the impact of unleaded gasoline on older vehicles, which states that vehicle fleets in developing countries can, in general, switch from leaded to unleaded fuel without any need for additives or adjustments to the vehicle. The document can be found on the Partnership website at: www.unep.org/PCFV/Document/VSR-FinalDraft.pdf

Reduce Sulfur: The U.S. EPA has initiated diesel retrofit projects in Mexico City, Mexico; Bangkok, Thailand; and Santiago, Chile to demonstrate the benefits of low-sulfur fuel and new emission control technologies. In Mexico City, EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt launched the Mexico City Diesel Retrofit Project on June 21, 2004. EPA is collaborating with USAID, World Resources Institute, Mexico City government, the Mexican Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources, the Mexico City Center for Sustainable Transport and with industry and NGO partners. This pilot project will reduce emissions of particulates and other pollutants by as much as 90 percent or more in a fleet of 20 Mexico City diesel buses. The fine particulate matter and other emissions from older diesel-powered vehicles are known to pose serious public health concerns and are a major cause of air pollution in Mexico City.

Next Steps

Partnership Publications:

• Octane Requirements (September, 2004); and
• Sulfur and its Impact on Emissions (Fall, 2004)

• Launch of Bangkok and Santiago diesel retrofit projects: September, 2004
• Initiation of Bombay diesel retrofit project: October, 2004
• Central America fuels and vehicles workshop, November 2-3, 2004, Panama City, Panama
• Third Global Partnership Meeting: December 2-3, 2004 in Delhi, India

Resources: To date, the United States government has contributed $1.5 million to the partnership. Other partners (Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, IPIECA, UNEP, and the FIA Foundation) are also contributing resources (financial, staff and other in-kind resources).

USG Primary Point of Contact: Jane Metcalfe, Environmental Protection Agency (Phone: 202-564-6451; email: Metcalfe.jane@epa.gov)