<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1>   Kenya: African cities must utilise environmental funds Nairobi, 09/23 - Cities across Africa were Thursday urged to push harder to access a growing range of global environment funds to help them finance sustainable public transport systems up to cleaner, less pollution, energy supplies. Achim Steiner, the UN under-secretary and executive director of the Nairobi-based UN Environment Programme (UNEP) made the call Thursday at the ongoing Africities Summit in Nairobi. "The streets and infrastructure of far too many of Africa`s cities are being overwhelmed by traffic leading to rising levels of health hazardous air pollution and impacts on economy," Steiner observed. An increasing number of cities in the developing countries of Asia and Latin America are starting to introduce modern 21st century, rapid bus transit systems alongside measures to boost safer cycling and walking, he cited. The GEF was established in the early 1990s to assist developing countries to achieve sustainable development and was only some weeks ago replenished to the tune of just over $3 billion. The financing of sustainable public transport systems up to cleaner, less polluting energy supplies. Meanwhile the Clean development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change offers a chance to better handle urban wastes. Gases emitted by big rubbish tips can be used to generate electricity and thus can attract new streams of funding under these carbon credit schemes. In terms of sustainable transport projects, only Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is taking advantage of GEF funding with a rapid bus transit system earmarked there. South Africa is also hoping to use GEF funding to help its cities boost sustainable public transportation for the 2010 World Cup. The UNEP boss asked Africa to consider the mistakes made by continents like Europe which indicate that trying to build your way out of the problem by constructing more and more roads can be expensive and deliver only short term benefits.   </div> </body> </html>