Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07BOGOTA8658, BOGOTA AIR QUALITY AMONG WORST IN LATIN AMERICA

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07BOGOTA8658.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07BOGOTA8658 2007-12-26 21:32 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Bogota
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #8658/01 3602132
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 262132Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0637
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7958
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 9705
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 5741
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 1011
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 6445
UNCLAS BOGOTA 008658 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/PCI FOR LSPERLING; WHA/EPCS FOR FCORNEILLE; EPA FOR 
HILL-MACON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELTN EPET SENV SOCI ENRG CO
SUBJECT: BOGOTA AIR QUALITY AMONG WORST IN LATIN AMERICA 
 
REF: BOGOTA 8092 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Bogota's seven million plus inhabitants breathe 
some of the worst air in the region.  Air quality falls below 
safe levels over 95 percent of the time.  Low-quality fuel, 
poor driving practices, and urban deforestation are largely 
to blame.  GOC officials expect an agreement to improve 
diesel fuel, new emissions standards and a forthcoming air 
quality plan to improve life for Bogota's citizens.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
More Bad Air Days 
----------------- 
 
2.  A study released in November found that Bogota's air 
quality ranks third worst of all Latin American capitals, 
ahead of only Mexico City and Santiago.  The author of the 
study, Professor Javier Burgos of Bogota's National 
University, has studied Bogota's air for over seven years and 
said it is steadily worsening.  He told us only Bogota's 
frequent strong winds prevent it from having the worst air 
quality of all Latin American capitals. 
 
3.  Burgos identified Bogota's 20,000 diesel buses as the 
main culprit.  He noted that during a recent bus strike air 
quality improved by over 50 percent within days.  Burgos said 
poor fuel contributed to the problem:  buses use low quality 
diesel which generates clouds of particulate laden exhaust. 
In addition, when diesel buses drive erratically, with sudden 
stops and starts, they produce far more exhaust.  Bad roads 
(over half of Bogota's roads are significantly damaged) and 
policies which encourage drivers to stop for every potential 
passenger (drivers' salaries depend on the number of 
passengers) greatly increase bus exhaust. 
 
Safe to Breathe Only 16 Days a Year 
----------------------------------- 
 
4.  Burgos said anything above 150 micrograms of particulates 
per cubic meter (PM10) per day is considered unsafe for human 
health under international standards.  In 2006 Bogota's air 
quality averaged 154 PM10 per day and met acceptable levels 
for human health only 16 days during the entire year.  In 
some parts of the city particulate levels often went as high 
as 230 PM10. Burgos estimates that every 10 microgram rise in 
the PM10 level leads to a four percent rise in the number of 
respiratory problems.  Respiratory ailments are currently the 
number one health problem in Bogota, with about 15 percent of 
the children in Bogota's hospitals there due to respiratory 
problems caused by poor air quality.  Burgos is currently 
working on a study that on the relationship between Bogota's 
air pollution worker absenteeism. 
 
5.  In 1998 Bogota instituted the "Pico y Placa" program to 
restrict the number of cars driving within city limits during 
peak commute hours.  The system operates on a rotating daily 
cycle based on the last digit of license plates.  The city's 
Transit Office credits Pico y Placa with removing 200,000 
cars per day (out of 1 million total) from Bogota's streets. 
In September of 2006 the city expanded the program to cover 
public buses.  Still, Burgos said the program has not 
significantly improved air quality because bus companies 
either ignore the law or circumvent it by switching plates. 
 
Urban Deforestation Exacerbates Problem 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6.  Studies have shown that trees help keep air clean by 
absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. The World 
Health Organization recommends cities maintain at least one 
tree per every three urban residents.  Bogota Botanical 
Gardens official Manuel Jose Amaya told us that a recent tree 
survey showed that Bogota has only one tree for every seven 
residents and almost one third may need to be cut down 
because of old age or disease. 
 
A Breath of Fresh Air on the Way 
-------------------------------- 
 
7. In 2006 the Ministry of the Environment, Housing and 
Territorial Development (MinEnv) produced a resolution with 
Colombia's first particulate emissions standards.  The 
resolution limits particulates to a maximum of 150 PM10 per 
day throughout the country.  Helver Reyes Lozano, an advisor 
to the MinEnv who worked on the resolution, admitted that 
publishing a resolution does not mean immediate enforcement, 
especially in large cities like Bogota.  Reyes described the 
GOC as just beginning to grapple with the issue of air 
pollution.  Still, Reyes called the new standards a "critical 
first step" in reducing air pollution. 
 
8.  In November 2007, MinEnv and the Ministry of Mines and 
Energy reached an agreement to improve the quality of diesel 
used in Bogota.  Beginning in January 2008, Colombia will 
implement a mandate to blend five percent biodiesel into the 
diesel transportation fuel mix (reftel).  GOC officials 
expect emission-reducing biodiesel combined with higher 
quality traditional diesel to emit 30 percent less 
particulates by 2010. Efforts to reduce diesel emissions 
follows similar steps to introduce a 10 percent ethanol blend 
to the gasoline fuel mix in major Colombian cities in 2005 to 
cut air pollution.  As analysts expect diesel consumption to 
significantly outpace gasoline in Colombia over the next 
decade, improvements to the diesel fuel mix are critical to 
long-term emissions reduction. 
 
9.  Reyes said the MinEnv is developing an air quality plan 
for Bogota.  The MinEnv will present the plan to Bogota's new 
mayor in early 2008.  The plan will include specific 
recommendations for the new administration on a wide range of 
areas including repairing roads, improving traffic flows, and 
reforesting urban areas.  In addition, the MinEnv and 
industry are working together on a plan to reduce Bogota's 
industrial air pollution.  A pilot program in Medellin to 
reduce industrial particulates through emissions credit 
exchanges may serve as a model for Bogota. 
Nichols