The Clean Air Initiative for Latin American Cities (CAI-LAC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) International Capacity Building Branch, in collaboration with the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are organizing a Regional Workshop on "Experiences and Tools to Assess the Benefits of Emission Reduction Strategies on Health and Climate Change." This workshop is part of the Integrated Environmental Strategies Program (IES) by EPA and NREL, and will help develop a strategy for strengthening the collaboration between CAI-LAC and IES. By analyzing and implementing relevant "integrated" policies and measures such as e.g. more efficient transport systems, incentives for public and non-motorized transport, improved maintenance, introduction of cleaner fuels and technologies, land-use planning, cities have an opportunity to make a positive impact on air quality, public health, and the local economy. The workshop will take place from July 12 – 13, 2004, with a more focused meeting on July 14. The CAI-LAC’s semi-annual Steering Committee meeting will be held on July 14 and formalize São Paulo’s Presidency of the Initiative and present the work program for the next months.
In Latin America, there is a need for a more comprehensive approach to assess, control and prevent the impacts of air pollution on health and climate change. Consultations with Clean Air Initiative in Latin American Cities (CAI-LAC) partner cities identified assessment of air pollution health impacts in urban areas as one of the priority areas for the CAI-LAC in the coming years. Given the current and projected rises in population and air pollution, the burden of cumulative health effects will continue to be high. Recent study results also suggest that policies aimed at reducing GHG emissions can also reduce emissions of criteria pollutants and have immediate health benefits. Local and national governments are, by and large, not fully prepared to respond to all demands, however, the technical knowledge and expertise exist, but has often not been optimally used and coordinated, to assess the impacts of air pollution and to assist decision makers in designing cost-effective policies to improve air quality in cities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) International Capacity Building Branch, with technical support from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is currently developing and implementing the Integrated Environmental Strategies Program (IES) in Latin America. The Program helps developing countries identify policies and technologies that reduce local air pollutants with impact on human health and have the added benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent months there have been a number of discussions between representatives of the Clean Air Initiative (CAI) and USEPA and NREL to work together on a regional program to develop methodological tools for air pollution health impacts assessment and economic analysis of pollution reduction policy alternatives as part of a comprehensive air quality management plan. There is a desire to familiarize policymakers with the co-benefits of simultaneously reducing criteria air pollutants as well as greenhouse gases.
The regional workshop would target both a technical and policymaker audience to improve capacity and capabilities at national and municipal levels in countries of Latin America, as well as introduce the CAI-LAC participants to the IES program, methodologies and results. The workshop would facilitate regional dissemination and improvement of methodologies and approaches for analysis of the benefits of integrated technology and policy approaches for air quality management and GHG mitigation. The workshop will focus on the policymakers perspective of health impacts analysis, providing examples from the IES and other programs. Information exchange would be promoted through the development and dissemination of country case studies drawn from the IES program and the CAI as well as case examples drawn from the experiences of the respective IES and CAI countries.
This regional activity would build upon country-focused efforts of the IES and CAI programs in Latin America to promote South-South and North-South information exchange and possibly lead to transfer of tools as well as options to support assessment projects and a regional network. The workshop would also serve as a vehicle to promote and expand the IES program to other countries and cities in Latin America that could potentially overlap with CAI cities and programs. This activity also aims to reach out to other organizations involved in this field to explore further collaboration, including UNEP, PAHO, USAID, and the WHO.
Senior and mid-level policy makers as well as key technical advisors from each in-country team will be in attendance. Ideally, a balance between policy and technical persons will be achieved.
The conference will take place over a three-day period. The first day will be devoted to the discussion of health effects analyses related to national and regional policy issues and dissemination of the results of the current IES and CAI programs in Latin America. The second day would be devoted to technical discussions to enhance the capacity of in-country researchers to improve the health effects analysis of the IES and CAI programs and explore collaboration. The third day will be devoted to the Brazil IES team’s presentation of results to local and national policymakers.
- Promote wider dissemination of Latin American regional results.
- Improve the technical competency of researchers in health effects analysis.
- Discuss development of a strategy to promote greater implementation of study results through financing options – possibly to be developed for a future workshop
- Strengthen ties to regional and multilateral organizations such as the World Bank-Clean Air Initiative for Latin America, WHO, PAHO, UNEP, USAID-Latin American Bureau.
- Identify opportunities for greater outreach, increase presence of IES and CAI programs in region.
Compile conference proceedings to be developed into a journal submission.
- Develop a Latin American regional network.
To access agenda, please click here.
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