Mexico City and ICCT webinar illustrates theory and practice of clean bus fleets

Poor air quality in cities is a growing concern: according to a recent report, outdoor air pollution due to vehicles and industry causes 4.5m deaths per year. Cities are working to address this health emergency, by committing to deliver greener, healthier and more prosperous cities. The recently launched Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration commits signatories to only procure zero-emissions buses from 2025, and to ensure a large urban area is zero emission by 2030. Through these actions, cities are reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and adhering to the limits set by the Paris Agreement.

The ‘Clean Urban Bus Fleets – Industry Partnership and City Action’ webinar on October 26 built on recent research and the experience of Mexico City to show the benefits of addressing air pollution through interventions on urban bus fleets. Hosted jointly by the C40 Cities Finance Facility, the C40 Low Emissions Vehicle Network and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the webinar was attended by more than 70 representatives from cities, industry, and national governments listening to the latest projects promoting more sustainable urban bus fleets.

Ray Minjares of the ICCT discussed the most recent technological advances in achieving soot-free buses, and the increasing commitment by manufacturers to provide cities with cleaner bus options. The Global Industry Partnership on Soot-Free Clean Bus Fleets, announced in September 2017, committed bus and engine manufacturers to help 20 global megacities access low-emissions technologies, including Mexico City and Bogotá. Beatriz Cárdenas Gonzáles presented the drastic reductions of pollutants in Mexico City since the early 1990s, and the current soot-free bus programme. Erika Kulpa outlined the Eje 8 project, the first electric bus corridor to be planned in Latin America.