Today is World Environment Day. This year's theme is 'air pollution'. Air quality in urban areas, especially in developing countries, is a key concern for policymakers and citizens. Unlike greenhouse gas emissions, air quality is a local issue affected by emissions of gases from stationary, mobile and agricultural sources, as well as natural causes (e.g. wildfires).
Ipieca recognises that air quality can impact public health and the environment. Ipieca is a founding member of the UN Environment Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles(PCFV), which has contributed to improvements in fuel quality by working closely with vehicle and engine manufacturers, regulators, and state and national governments to advance air quality.
In partnership with PCFV, Ipieca is developing a guide on 'Strategies and options to address air quality through optimized vehicle emissions standards and lower sulphur fuels', which is to be published later in 2019. An awareness brief on 'Low-emissions transport' will soon be released, examining the energy transitions and outlining the different transport technologies to a low-emissions future, consistent with meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 13, Climate Action).
World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event, which takes place on June 5 every year and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide. China is hosting this year's World Environment Day celebrations across multiple cities and urges governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together to improve air quality in cities and regions across the world.
