UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Government

Name of Ministry/Agency:

Country:	United States of America

Initiative Title:	Heavy-Duty Diesel Retrofit Demonstration Project in Mexico City (Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles

Internet links:	http://www.unep.org/pcfv/Regact/LAC/LAC.htm http://www.unep.org/pcfv.org http://www.unep.org/pcfv/regact/LAC/EPAinMexico.htm

Scope:

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Lead Institution:	US Environmental Protection Agency

Stakeholders/Partners:

Relevent issues:	- Policies and programmes to address air pollution from transportation sources - Fuel efficiency and cleaner fuel for transportation

Objectives/Challenges:

To reduce health risks from air pollutants;
To dramatically lower particulate emissions by encouraging and assisting a move to ULSD and cleaner technologies for both new and existing vehicles;
To promote cleaner fuels for transportation; and
To address air pollution from transportation sources

Lessons Learned:

The following approaches taken by the project were found to be highly valuable: setting up a senior level multi-partner planning process through an advisory board and technical committee helped advance project development and operation; and using a team approach with on-the-ground over-sight to manage the project and engage local stakeholders.

Policy Options:

Using cleaner fuels such as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and installing emission control devices on buses and trucks.

Summary:

Particulate emissions can be reduced by as much as 90% if vehicles and fuels are addressed simultaneously. The Mexico City diesel retrofit demonstration project has successfully installed two types of emission control devices on 12 city buses and 8 trash trucks to test their success on these particular vehicles under Mexico City conditions, as well as to test which device performs best with ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD). Numerous partners, including the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles, are coordinating efforts to determine the best means by which to reduce particulate emissions from existing diesel vehicles.

Key features of programme/initiative: retrofit demonstration; ULSD procurement and policy assistance

Results achieved and known impacts: Devices successfully installed, with first tests showing expected high reduction of particulates; further urged Mexico to adopt ULSD standards, which they are attempting to pass through government.

Main obstacles faced: Inadequate resources

Sustainability, scalability and transferability: This project will be sustained by Mexico City, with Mexico’s intention to scale it up to rest of country; as the first of USEPA’s international retrofit projects, Mexico is expected to take leadership to share learned retrofits and ULSD benefits to Central American countries.