"MEXICO CITY -- This megalopolis once had the world's worst air, with skies so poisonous that birds dropped dead in flight. Today, efforts to clean the smog are showing visible progress, revealing stunning views of snow-capped volcanoes -- and offering a model for the developing world.

As Mexico prepares to host world leaders at a U.N. climate-change conference later this year, international experts are praising the country's progress. Many say its determined efforts to control auto emissions and other environmental effects of rapid urbanization offer practical lessons to cities in China, India and other fast-growing countries.

International officials say steady improvement of Mexico City's air could bolster President Felipe Calderón's bid for a leadership role among developing countries seeking to address global warming. "

Anne-Marie O'Connor reports for the Washington Post April 1, 2010. [2]