Parallel and Side Events Contents Page

Cleaner fuels for cleaner air

Presented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the International Fuel Quality Centre, and the Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (AECLP)

At this event, the Cleaner Fuels for Cleaner Air Partnership was launched and discussed.

Patrizio Civili, UN DESA, emphasized the importance of the transport sector in contributing to sustainable development. He highlighted lead as a major health hazard, and underscored the Partnership's aim to improve health and quality of life, particularly for poor people in urban areas.

Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of UNEP, noted the importance of mobility, and underscored the need for initiatives to address problems of air pollution. He highlighted the importance of improving gasoline quality and suggested a global phase-out of lead within five years.

Linda Fisher, US, highlighted the involvement of industry, international institutions and NGOs in the Partnership, and identified the partnership as an opportunity to improve air quality and health. She noted the adverse effects of lead and sulfur on children.

Heidi Hautala, European Parliament, noted the importance of improving fuel quality in developing countries, stressed that partnerships should not replace, but complement WSSD "type 1" outcomes, and suggested addressing corporate responsibility within the Partnership.

Roger Beale, Australia, called for pragmatic measures to address air pollution, which incorporate: local industry capacity; vehicle fleet; and behavior. He stated that improving fuel quality constitutes "one of the quicker fixes" in addressing pollution and health problems.

Sandrine Dixson-Declève, International Fuel Quality Center, noted the possibility of achieving a total phase-out of lead with appropriate political support, and stressed that sulfur and other harmful substances should also be reduced.

Sun Zhen, China, stated that problems of air pollution should be addressed holistically, and advocated city-specific solutions that involve local governments and improve awareness.

Maria Rapuano, AECLP, explained that elimination of lead provides a gateway to addressing other harmful pollutants by promoting catalytic converters.

Richard Kassel, National Resources Defence Council, emphasized the importance of improving the quality of diesel, which currently causes asthma, cancer and premature death.