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Promoting Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles Worldwide
Today, transportation demand is growing rapidly in developing countries. This, combined with rising personal vehicle ownership, is causing significant impacts on urban air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, transport is potentially one of the biggest sources of CO2 and particulate matter pollution, especially in cities.
Projected Global Vehicle Growth (source: Mobility 2030: Meeting the Challenges to Sustainability, World Business Council on Sustainable Development, 2004) 
Globally, the International Energy Agency predicts that fossil fuels will remain the dominant source of energy to 2030 (reference: IEA World Energy Outlook 2006 ). The number of vehicles is growing fast in developing countries (defined as countries that are not a part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD]) , as the chart (right) displays.
To address these issues, the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) promotes cleaner fuels and vehicles in developing and transition countries. Specifically, PCFV works toward the global elimination of lead in gasoline and the phase down of sulfur in diesel fuel to 50 parts per million (ppm), and working toward the introduction of cleaner, more efficient vehicles.
EPA is a founding and supporting member of PCFV, a public-private global initiative originally founded at the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2003.
The PCFV engages governments and stakeholders in developing countries to accomplish the following:
- To eliminate lead in gasoline globally. There are only a few countries left still using only leaded fuels, and several offering both leaded and unleaded fuels. View map displaying countries still using leaded fuels, [PDF, 1 p, 316kb] courtesy of PCFV.
- For all countries to have access to fuel with 50 ppm sulfur. For comparison, the United States uses 15 ppm sulfur diesel fuel; most developing countries offer fuels that are much higher in sulfur content. View map displaying countries using sulfur in diesel, [PDF, 1 p, 3.83M] courtesy of PCFV.
- To promote the introduction of cleaner, more efficient vehicles. Over 20 developing countries have currently committed to adoption of vehicle emission standards, as well as mandatory requirements for catalytic convertors and basic vehicle import standards, such as restrictions on the age of used vehicles.
Here are some examples of PCFV’s work. For more information about PCFV programs, visit the PCFV website.
Introducing Low Sulfur Fuels in Urban Areas (Chile)
To promote the introduction of low sulfur fuels in developing countries, the PCFV often begins by encouraging the use of low sulfur fuels in urban areas.
Urban air pollution is a significant problem in the developing world. Source: PCFV
Once local citizens and governments experience the air quality benefits and gain experience in implementing low sulfur fuel programs, these usually are expanded to include additional urban areas and eventually the whole country.
For example, after five years of stakeholder outreach, in July 2009 the Government of Chile passed new legislation (entering into force January 2010) to require Euro III plus Diesel Particle Filters (DPFs) for all new buses in Santiago.
- Euro III diesel buses require 350 ppm sulfur fuel
- The rest of South America uses 500 ppm to 5,000 ppm sulfur fuel (with the exception of some cities in Brazil using 50 ppm sulfur fuel as of 2009).
- For comparison, U.S. buses are required to use DPFs and 15 ppm sulfur fuel.
Chile’s Mario Molina Center, a major partner in this effort and regionally for PCFV, credits a number of organizations for this result, including EPA’s cooperation on a truck retrofit project that showcased emissions reductions gained from DPF technology.
Additional steps are expected, including an expansion country-wide for new buses, trucks in Santiago and continued retrofits to existing Euro I and II buses.
Setting Regional Targets for Better Air (Africa)
Regional targets can help improve air quality in cities in Africa. Source: PCFV
To encourage countries to meet goals for fuel quality, PCFV also helps sponsor regional meetings to set fuel quality and air quality targets. Often these meetings lead to countries in the region meeting the PCFV goals for fuel quality.
For example, PCFV partners have begun a process to address the decline of air quality in African cities.
- The first African conference on Better Air Quality in Sub-Saharan African (BAQ- SSA) Cities was held in 2006 at UNEP Headquarters.
- The Southern Africa and Eastern Africa regional meetings were held in March and October 2008 respectively.
- The West and Central African regional meeting was held on 20-22 July 2009.
- A regional meeting with the nations of North Africa is planned for late November 2009.
Some key outcomes of the West and Central African Sub-Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality (July 2009) included:
- A report presented by the World Bank/ARA on the cost-benefit of lowering sulfur levels in fuels, and reducing vehicle emissions in sub-Saharan Africa.
- A draft action plan/agreement prepared and adopted by the Ministers.
- Consideration of a regional goal to reduce fuel sulfur levels by 2015.
Twenty-one African nations were represented at the meeting:
Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
The meeting was jointly organized by:
- the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests of Cote d’Ivoire,
- the African Refiners Association (ARA) and
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) through the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV).
- Other partners included: the Air Pollution Information Network for Africa (APINA), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida), the Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum (GAPF) and the World Bank.
Direct Assistance through Retrofits (China)
Bus exhaust in China. Source: Southwest Research Institute
EPA has also provided direct assistance to countries through retrofit projects, such as a bus retrofit in China.
- For example, EPA worked with a variety of partners to help the City of Beijing prepare for the Olympics by cleaning up buses.
- EPA helped the City obtain low sulfur fuel and conducted emission testing to show the benefits of various emission control devices.
EPA has also shown leadership in diesel retrofit projects around the world, for example in:
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Pune, India
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Santiago, Chile
- San Diego - Tijuana
Tools for Decision-Makers (Global)
Providing tools for decision makers is another effective way to promote low sulfur fuels and the introduction of cleaner vehicles.
The PCFV has developed a Toolkit for Clean Fleet Strategy Development to assist vehicle fleet managers to assess the air quality impact of their fleets. The training prepares public and private on-road vehicle fleet managers to:
Globally, cleaner vehicle fleets trainings are empowering fleet managers to save fuel and improve their local air. Source: PCFV
(1) evaluate the impacts of their fleets on the environment and human health, and then
(2) develop a practical strategy for corrective and cost-effective action.
The PCFV also provides training on this toolkit. For example, PCFV has provided training:
In Asia (hosted in Bangkok), conducted by the Clean Air Initiative for Asia (Direct link to this training on PCFV website) Additional Asia trainings were held in Manila in February 2009 and March 2009, and in Jakarta in July 2009.
In the Central and Eastern European region, hosted by the Regional Environment Center (Direct link to this training on PCFV website)
An additional Central and Eastern European training was held in Poland in May 2009.
In September 2009, the PCFV is organizing the first Cleaner Vehicle Fleets Training for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Santiago, Chile, in cooperation with Centro Mario Molina, Chile. (Learn more: Latin America and the Caribbean regional activities on PCFV website.)
Links to Additional Information:
International Programs: Transportation and Air Quality Site (EPA's Office of International Affairs)
Office of Transportation and Air Quality (EPA's Office of Air and Radiation)
Partnership for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles Web Site
Toolkit for Clean Fleet Strategy Development
U.S. Fuel Economy web site (FuelEconomy.gov)
The International Council on Clean Transportation
Back to: International Air
Contacts
For additional information on EPA's work with the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles, contact:
Angela Bandemehr
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs (2670R)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
E-mail: bandemehr.angela@epa.gov
(202) 564-1427
