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Surrounding – On top of widespread poverty, environmental pollution has also emerged as a serious problem in Bolivia. Motorcar traffic has increased dramatically in recent years as the economy has recovered from recession. The downside is the growing air pollution–70 percent of which is estimated to come from traffic. The state fleet has also grown, mostly through the import of used cars that heavily polluting.

The project – The causes of the air pollution stem from a combination of technical, political and economic issues. Since 2003, our “Aire Limpio” project (clean air) assaults the problem on different levels. The first step is creating the public consciousness that measures to protect the air are not luxury, but necessity and an investment for the future. This is accomplished through campaigns that sensitize all impacted people, from car mechanics and merchants and chauffeurs to politicians, the media and a broad public. The project associates work with governmental authorities in building for a system for measuring harmful substances in the air. At Aire Limpio’s suggestion, universities implemented surveys on the sanitary consequences of air pollution and showed alternatives (for example, the conversion to low-emission gas engines). Aire Limpio supports officials and public institutions in developing strategies and policy directives for air purity. These measures target sustainable improvement of air quality in the country’s four biggest cities: La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. Overall air quality improvements will influence the entire country, especially because the concrete measures are linked to technical advancement and will strengthen the Bolivian economy.