The Cleaner and More Efficient Fuels and Vehicles Conference for the Caribbean will bring CARICOM countries together at the Knutsford Court Hotel on the 5th and 6th of December 2018 to discuss how to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs in the transport sector.
"Air pollution kills more than 6 million people globally every year and with the number of vehicles expected to triple by 2050; the forum presents a unique opportunity for the Caribbean to develop a long-term strategy that will help us shift how we use energy and reduce our greenhouse gas emission in the transport sector” says Dr Ruth Potopsingh, Associate Vice President, Sustainable Development, University of Technology, Jamaica and Project Manager of the Global Fuel Economy Initiative Project in Jamaica.
Government ministers from Energy, Environment and Transport Ministries; private sector automobile associations, vehicle importers and refineries; and international and local experts on air quality and mobility will assess the current status of clean fuels and vehicles in the Caribbean, discuss actions to encourage the uptake of low sulphur fuels in CARICOM countries, widen the use of low sulphur diesel and propose actions to address the need for an improved fuel economy in the Caribbean.
"UN Environment is committed to breaking the link between increased mobility and greenhouse gas emissions- this is important if we are to tackle climate change and some of the negative implications of growth in the transport sector such as congestion, pollution and energy and resource pollution.” says Vincent Sweeney, Head of the Caribbean Sub-Regional Office, UN Environment.
The conference, funded by the European Union, the Global Environment Facility and Environment Canada, will inform the creation of a roadmap which will propose regulatory measures and policies to promote cleaner and more efficient vehicles for the Caribbean. The conference will also build the capacity of countries enabling them to improve air quality and greenhouse gas emission targets as well as achieve energy savings and move towards more sustainable mobility.
For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Dr Ruth Potopsingh, Project Manager, University of Technology, Jamaica, ruthpotopsingh@gmail.com,
1 876 3229069
Miss Nicole O’Reggio, Project Manager, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Nicole.OReggio@megjc.gov.jm
Deonne Smith, Communications & Partnerships Officer, UN Environment Caribbean Sub-Regional Office. deonne.smith@un.org
