The World Bank is pleased to invite you to participate at the Workshop on Sustainable Transport and Air Quality to be held during the Environmental and Socially Sustainable week at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC on April 8, 2005. The main objective of the workshop is to discuss options for Sustainable Transport and Air Quality interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean. A regional program is being prepared and your views and experience will be a key factor for helping shape the operation.

The regional urban transport and air quality program will focus on providing assistance and funding for innovative projects that improve transport efficiency and reduce local and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions; promote a long term shift to more efficient and less energy intensive modes of transport; coordinate land-use and transport planning to reduce dependency on motorized transport, especially cars, through land use policies that increase the number of accessible opportunities within a short distance; and implement cost-effective transport solutions, manage mobility more efficiently, reduce congestion and provide equality of access to transport for the entire community. Please, find attached a more detailed agenda.

The workshop will serve as an opportunity to present and discuss case-studies and relevant experiences, as well as key lessons learned; get feedback from government agencies in Latin American and other stakeholders on their needs; and, prepare a preliminary action plan for the development and implementation of a regional program on sustainable transport and environment for Latin America and other regions. Moreover, it will serve as an opportunity to explore opportunities to link with the Clean Air Initiative for Latin American Cities (CAI-LAC) and other existing regional programs, as well as existing Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects.

If you would like to attend the workshop, please submit your registration below. Please from outside the World Bank SHOULD register in order to enter the World Bank offices.

If you like to participate, please feel free to contact: Francisco Grajales Cravioto. Phone (+1)(202) 473-3082. Email: fgrajalescraviot@worldbank.org and/or Sebastian Anapolsky. Phone: (+1)(202) 458-1629. Email: sanapolsky@worldbank.org.