xe/EPA
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Policy
(1807T)
December 2011
EPA-100-F-11-027
Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles:
Evaluation of the Design and Implementation
of the Lead Campaign
Summary
Fact Sheet
http://www.epa.gov/evaluate
For more information on
completed evaluations at EPA
or the Evaluation Support
Division, visit the above link.
Introduction
In 2002, the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) was launched at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. EPA is one of the
founding partners of the PCFV and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is
the Clearing-House for the Partnership. This voluntary, global, public-private partnership
promotes the reduction of air pollution from vehicles in developing and transitional countries
through promoting use of lead-free and low sulfur fuels, and clean vehicles. Since 2002,
nearly all of the 100-plus countries using leaded fuel at that time have since eliminated lead
from their fuel supplies. PCFV's Lead Campaign to remove lead from fuels catalyzed the
phase out of leaded fuel in many of these countries. The six countries that have yet to
eliminate lead from fuel are expected to do so within the next few years.
EPA sponsored this evaluation to identify and examine lessons from the PCFV's Lead
Campaign that may be transferable to other existing or future international partnerships.
The evaluation focused on the Lead Campaign's startup and design, implementation, and
overarching insights that could inform other partnership efforts. The evaluation did not
identify the benefits of eliminating lead from fuel or the role (influence) of PCFV in the
elimination of leaded fuel, as these have been studied previously (UNEP, 2010; Tsai and
Hatfield, 2011).
This third-party evaluation consisted of a qualitative analysis of information on PCFV, results
of formal interviews, and review of literature on voluntary partnerships. This Fact Sheet
summarizes the evaluation findings. The full evaluation report is available at:
www.epa.gov/evaluate/reports.htm
Findings
PCFV Lead Campaign Startup and Design
Four factors supported a strong start and successful implementation of the Campaign later
on: (1) preceding developments, such as known public health impacts for lead and existing
momentum for change; (2) a timely opportunity with support from senior leaders; (3) a
clear, measurable, and ambitious-yet-achievable goal; and (4) strong partnership design and
design process that fosters ownership and trust.
Lead Campaign Implementation
Lead Campaign implementation has combined strong features: (1) multi-level, multi-angle
implementation strategy that covers key issues and engages key stakeholders; (2) partners
bring expertise and commitment through complementary roles; (3) modest yet focused
resource investments; and (4) addressing challenges, adaptation, and learning from
experience.
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Relevance of Findings on Lead Campaign to Other Voluntary Partnerships
The evaluation found that core Lead Campaign strengths could also serve other partnerships, and that
there is an emerging set of design principles for successful voluntary partnerships that are consistent with
PCFV.
Emerging Partnership Design Principles that are Consistent with PCFV
Several issue-specific factors can inform design, implementation, and ultimately effectiveness of a
voluntary partnership approach. Considering these factors early on can help to maximize a partnership's
potential to influence change and avoid uncertainty, misunderstanding, and a lack of progress. The
evaluators identified a set of emerging voluntary partnership design principles that are consistent with
the Lead Campaign and PCFV more broadly. These principles are summarized here:
Emerging Partnership Design Principles
Develop clear goals
Build a strong core membership
Thoughtfully design the
partnership and utilize this
process to engender buy-in and
trust
Make clear the power and
authority of each partner
Maximize voluntary and
comprehensive participation
Ensure neutral management
Secure commitments for funding sufficient
to launch the partnership, while also
identifying long-term funding opportunities
Build in the ability to adapt and course
correct
Empower sustained change in the field
Guarantee transparency and accountability
The evaluators found that the Lead Campaign's design features are consistent with the emerging
principles for successful partnerships, noting that PCFV and the Lead Campaign evolved over time and as
such learned by doing rather than starting with a comprehensive partnership design template. The
process of learning and adaptation, coupled with the exceptional suite of people involved, contributed as
much to the Lead Campaign's strengths as has the design itself. Several preceding developments also
assisted, if not "empowered," the Lead Campaign from the beginning. The evaluators believe that the
potent combination of preceding developments, sound design, strong implementation strategy, and
exceptional partners have made the Lead Campaign an extraordinary example in the realm of voluntary
partnerships.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The EPA Evaluation Report, Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles: Evaluation of the Design and
Implementation of the Lead Campaign, December 2011, EPA-100-R-11-008, is available at:
www.epa.gov/evaluate/reports.htm
Tsai, Peter L and Thomas H. Hatfield. "Global Benefits from the Phase out of Leaded Fuel" Journal of
Environmental Health, Volume 74, No. 5 December 2011.
UNEP, 2010, "Outcome and Influence Evaluation of the UNEP Based Partnership for Clean Fuels and
Vehicles," http://www.unep.org/transport/pcfv/PDF/leadphaseoutreport.pdf
Information on the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles is available at:
http://www.unep.org/transport/pcfv/
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