8 March 2012: The World Bank has approved a US$10 million loan to support air quality regulation enforcement and the promotion of sustainable water resource management in Colombia.

The Sustainable Development Investment Project will focus on developing a more comprehensive information network in regard to health, air quality and water resource management. This goal will be carried out by: installing a carbon dioxide-emission test laboratory for vehicles to monitor air quality and implement technical measures; strengthening capacity to implement noise pollution regulations; and training environmental officials to prepare watershed-protection plans that incorporate climate risk evaluations in water resources and land use.

Furthermore, the World Bank financing will support the installation of 14 hydrological stations, seven radars, ten satellite stations, and three sediment monitors to support and reinforce the water resource monitoring network and water resource information system. [World Bank Press Release]