National governments clearly play a major role in urban air quality management by setting standards for ambient air, industrial and vehicular emissions, and fuel quality. Among other things, they are responsible for enforcing environmental regulations, fuel pricing, and the legislation that governs the import of vehicles and their emission standards.
In Latin American countries, however, the regionwide process of decentralization has entrusted a significant part of local environmental management responsibilities to subnational levels of government. In addition, city governments typically manage land-use and urban transport planning, two policy areas that have a significant impact on urban air quality. City governments are also under pressure from civil society groups that increasingly place urban environmental concerns among the priorities to be addressed at the local level.
For a successful air quality management program, the vertical integration of decisionmaking between national and subnational levels of government must also be accompanied by a horizontal integration between the institutions, ministries, and departments responsible for the multiple sectors involved.
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Mexico
Peru
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