United Nations Task Force issues recommendations for green and healthy transport
Brussels – 15 April 2021 Over the past year, CONEBI – in coordination with the World Bicycle Industry Association (WBIA) – closely cooperated with the United Nations to prepare recommendations on the future of transport that stress the importance of cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transport as well as encourage the adoption of e-mobility solutions.
In April 2020, the United Nations, under the framework of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), set up a task force consisting of more than 50 experts from Member States, international institutions, academia, public transport operators and industry experts. The goal was to develop key recommendations for European countries and even beyond on how to make transport Greener and Healthier.
The recommendations are part of a policy document looking at the immediate effects of the pandemic and highlighting examples of what countries have done to deal with the crisis by introducing green and healthy mobility solutions. These cover a range of targeted actions aimed at promoting active mobility, increasing the protection of those who travel and increasing road safety. The recommendations were developed along several key themes, including:
- Public space allocation for transport and spatial planning
- Encouraging the adoption of e-mobility
- Introducing mobility management solutions
- Facilitating the adoption of innovation and technology
- Rebuilding the transport system in a fair and inclusive way
- Supporting active mobility as a sustainable and healthy mode of transport
Among the UN recommendations it is possible to read that to support safe cycling and walking as means of making cities more liveable and resilient, the countries of the pan-European region are encouraged to act according to several principles: from building strong and long-term political consensus (including on investment strategies and fiscal measures to promote active mobility) and ensuring coordination across all levels of Government and other key stakeholders to accelerating the implementation of the Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion as well as encouraging children’s training and the creation of “knowledge hubs” to facilitate the exchange of good practices.
CONEBI welcomes the above statements alongside the following one: ‘’Improve infrastructure by, for example, adapting street design and amending traffic regulations and ensure adequate financing to facilitate the creation of safe infrastructure and spaces for cyclists and pedestrians, while also ensuring attractive multimodal solutions with public transport. ‘’
The recommendations have been drafted as preparation for the Fifth High-Level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment, hosted by Austria and taking place virtually on 17-18 May 2021. During this meeting, the recommendations will be adopted and signed by international transport ministers as part of the ‘’Vienna Declaration’’. A dedicated Partnership will be created to assist the Member States in implementing these Recommendations.
The full document with the recommendations can be accessed here.
