Global Environment Facility Support for Sustainable Transport: Early Lessons from World Bank–Assisted Projects in Mexico City, Mexico; Santiago, Chile; and Lima, Peru

Global Environment Facility (GEF) support for World Bank sustainable transport activities is described. An overview is presented of current GEF strategy for sustainable transport, which reflects a shift beyond individual technology interventions toward broader objectives, including modal shift, demand management, and land use planning. Ongoing GEF projects that exemplify this shift are reviewed by examining projects in Latin America and Asia whose aim is improving public transport, nonmotorized programs, and institutional capacity related to sustainable transport. The major lessons that can be drawn from these projects, most of which are still at an early stage, is that local authorities are often enthusiastic about getting involved in programs that simultaneously address key transportation concerns in their cities (such as access, safety, congestion, local air quality) and result in less overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Much can be achieved as long as project communications and promotion are addressed and carefully targeted at decision makers and potential beneficiaries.