Elisa Dumitrescu

United Nations Environment Programme/

Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles

The Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)

Developmental EffectsDevelopmental Effects

HospitalizationHospitalization

Asthma Attacks and BronchitisAsthma Attacks and Bronchitis

PrematurePremature DeathsDeaths

CancerCancer

Air pollution: health effects

Urban air pollution a key issue

• WHO estimates more than 1 billion people exposed to outdoor air exceeding maximum recommended levels

• 800,000 deaths each year due to urban air pollution;

• Local and global effects (climate change, trans-boundary air pollution)

• In US almost half of urban residents exposed to harmful levels of ozone

• In Nairobi, Kenya, lead levels in atmosphere are more than 25 times as high as WHO standards

• In CEE USD 1.2 billion in working time lost to illness

• But also global impacts: transport sector key to CO2 emissions

Urban Air Pollution Around the World

Socio-Economic Costs

• Lost working days, health costs, damage to property, reduced agricultural yield, and loss of tourism revenue; developmental damage to children caused by lead poisoning;•Cost of urban air pollution estimated to be 2% of GDP in developed countries and more than 5% in developing countries (e.g. 7% China, to rise to 13% by 2020); • 4 to 6 percent of urban income in developing countries; •Particulate matter: 2 - 5 percent of all deaths in developing country cities are attributed to exposure to high levels of fine particles.

Emissions Reductions

• Vehicles, both gasoline and diesel, emit significant amounts of fine particles, carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides, and in some cases lead particles;

• Lower-sulphur and lead-free fuels reduce emissions of pollutants themselves;

• And allow the use of clean vehicle technologies such as catalytic converters, which can further reduce pollutants by over 90%.

Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)

• Set up at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, August 2002

• To promote clean fuels and vehicles to address urban air quality

• Public/Private Partnership• Clearing-House at UNEP

Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya

Industry Governments

Int. Organisations

NGOs

PCFV - Partners

PCFV Objectives

The Partnership provides support to transitional

and developing countries to improve fuel quality

and adopt cleaner vehicle technologies, with an

initial focus on:• The elimination of lead in gasoline and the

phase down of sulphur in diesel and gasoline fuels,

• concurrent with the adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies (catalytic converters, diesel retrofits, modern engine technology).

website: www.unep.org/pcfv

Objective 1: Lead in Gasoline

• Lead is added to gasoline to enhance octane

• Lead has severe health effects• Blocks clean vehicles

technologies, esp. introduction catalytic converters

• Alternatives available• Lead phase out world wide

Lead pollution: health effects

• Toxicity already at low level (no safe NAEL)

• Developmental problems (IQ, growth, hearing, specific for children)

• Several organs effected • Malnourished particularly at high risk• Restricts the mental development of

children (loss of IQ); 1ug/dl – 0.25-0.5 IQ point

• For each 10ug/dl – height decrease by 1 cm

Leaded gasoline: Health Effects (example Egypt)

Estimated annual health effects:• Heart Attacks - 6,500 to 11,600• Strokes - 800 to 1,400• Premature Deaths (Adults) - 6,300

to 11,100• Infant Deaths - ~820• Average IQ Loss in Children - 4.25

Points• Egypt went unleaded

Hungary: declining blood lead levels after decrease of lead in petrol

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Lead contents in gasoline (g/l)

Blood Lead Level (µg/dl)

Lead levels in petrol in Hungary:

1985: 0.7 grams/ liter

1995: 0.15 grams per liter

current EU level: .005 g/l

Regional Status of Leaded Petrol Phase-Out

Objective 2: Sulphur in fuels

- sulphur levels in crude oil differ per region, and thus sulfur levels in fuels differ

- Health effects and environment effects

- levels/regulations differ between 10,000 ppm and less than 25 ppm

- need for lower sulfur levels for modern engines and emissions technology

Sulphur: Health Effects

• Sulphur and Particulate problems • Sulphur: bronchitis, asthma• Damage to plants and buildings• Particulate Matter: Cardio-

respiratory problems and some constituents of fine particulate matter, such as diesel smoke, are carcinogenic

Sulphur: Health Effects of PM 2.5 (example Europe)

Loss in average expected statistical life expectancy due to identified anthropogenic PM2.5 (in months)

Avg. 9 months of life expectancy lost

386,000 premature deaths annually due to PM

sulphur levels in diesel vs engine life

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PPM sulphur

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going from 10,000 to 5,000 ppm sulphur diesel, engine life is expected to increase with 50%

Engine Life vs. Sulfur Levels in Diesel Vehicles

Regional Status of Sulphur in Diesel

Objective 3: Clean Vehicles

- Need to see fuels and vehicles as a combination: certain vehicles need certain fuels and the other way around

- Vehicles - Options:- No or ultra low

emission vehicles- Conventional

vehicles- Retrofit vehicles

Clean Vehicles - continued

Vehicles - Options:

1- No or ultra low emission vehicles hybrids , hydrogen

2- Conventional vehicles modern engines, catalytic converters

3- Retrofit vehicles esp. diesel technology; diesel traps (fuels needs?)

Growth in Passenger Cars, EU & CEE (1980 – 2000)

13 x increase

~ 1200%

Rate (%) of Increase from 1980

Passenger Cars per 1000 Inhabitants

While still below the EU average, the ownership rates for passenger vehicles in CEE and Turkey (Czech Rep. and

Romania examples here), are rapidly rising.

Catalytic Converters, CEE

PCFV Possible Outcomes & Next Steps, CEE & Turkey

In General

• Work with national governments, industry, civil society to promote cleaner fuels and vehicles in CEE;

• Promote and advocate workshop and conference conclusions and recommendations for uptake by national decision-makers;

• Correct information gaps for fuels and vehicles information (especially info on vehicle fleets);

• Develop a regional network of experts, decision-makers, industry, all stakeholders for cleaner fuels and vehicles.

Cleaner Fuels

LEAD:• Lead phaseout ASAP (including support for current plans):

Albania (ban planned for 2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (ban planned for 1/1/2010)

Croatia (1/1/2006)

Macedonia (2006)

RomaniaSerbia & MontenegroTurkey (2006)

• Increased use of catalytic converter technology through legislation, deadlines for retirement of non-cat converter cars, and ban on non-cat imports into CEE countries

Next Steps - continued

SULPHUR:

• Lower diesel sulphur level with the goal to go to 500 ppm asap (including support for current plans) in:

Albania (2,000 ppm)

BiH (2,000 ppm)

Croatia (10,000 ppm)

Macedonia (2,000 ppm)

Serbia & Montenegro (10,000 ppm)

Turkey (7,000)

• Promotion of emissions control technology for heavy-duty diesel vehicles, including retrofits;

• Support for further compliance with EU fuel quality standards for both petrol and diesel.

Next Steps - continued

VEHICLES:

• Close information gaps on CEE national vehicle fleets, including catalytic converters and vehicle age;

• Restrictions on age of imported vehicles and requirements for catalytic converters in all CEE countries (to complement EU requirements);

• Cleaner Diesel Vehicles:Retrofit projects for heavy duty diesel vehicles, improved I & M, accelerated retirement plans, and cost/benefit analysis of replacement of diesel with alternative vehicles (natural gas, etc.).

Next Steps - continued

Role of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles

(PCFV)

PCFV Activities

• Technical support• Networking support• Financial support• Joint activities• Involved other partners/

organisations• Information/ communication

Progress on Lead Phase Out in Sub-Saharan Africa

September 2003June 2001

Progress of leaded petrol phase out in sub-Saharan Africa

Leaded

Leaded and unleaded

Unleaded

September 2002

September 2004 September 2005 January 2006 (prediction based onpresent commitments)

(PCFV was launched)(A sub-regional agreement reached to phase out leadedgasoline by January 1, 2006)

Information: Website www.unep.org/pcfv

www.unep.org/PCFV