In recognition of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) successful work in Sub-Saharan Africa to date, and the historic phase-out of leaded gasoline on 1 January 2006, the UN has awarded the PCFV Clearing-House team in Nairobi the UN21 award for substantive programme. The Clearing-House has accepted this award on behalf of the PCFV and its partners.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner expressed his congratulations to the PCFV: "All involved - both in UNEP - but also among our partners deserve credit for this success."

This award was established in 1996 by the Secretary General to recognize staff innovation and efficiency in program and service delivery. Last year, there were over 60 projects nominated for the 2005 awards from across the global Secretariat, involving over 450 staff members.

A Headquarters ceremony with UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown was held on Thursday, 14 December 2006 and a webcast of the ceremony can be accessed via http://www.un.org/webcast/2006.html

Sub-Saharan Africa went unleaded as of 1 January 2006. All production and imports of leaded gasoline in Sub-Saharan Africa has stopped. The region is fully unleaded.

UNEP Press Releases (English)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published the first ever global air quality guideline standards for fine particles (PM), ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide and called for world-wide action to reduce air pollution. Several are stricter than similar WHO guidelines for Europe published in 2000. It recommends maximum 20 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) over 24 hours for SO2, compared with 125 ug/m3 previously, and 100 ug/m3 over eight hours for ozone, compared with 120 ug/m3 previously. Also included are detailed guidelines for fine particles, which were previously omitted.

See WHO Press Release

In March 2005, at a workshop organised by the PCFV Clearing-House at UNEP and the Gambian Government, a bold decision to phase- out lead completely in gasoline and to allow only the import of vehicles equipped with catalytic converters, was made by the Gambian Authorities. This decision entered into force July 2005.

Gambian Workshop Report

The PCFV Clearing-House received notice from the government of Cte d'Ivoire that it is no longer producing leaded petrol! The government lowered the octane level from 93 to 91 RON, and now lead is no longer necessary.