Skip to main content

UITP, ITF welcome UN plan to advance sustainable transport

Both the UITP and the International Transport Forum (ITF) have welcomed the United Nations High-Level Advisory Group report which recommends that greener, more efficient and sustainable transport can save trillions and help achieve the sustainable development goals. According to the report, Mobilizing Sustainable Transport for Development, greater investment in greener, more sustainable transport systems is essential for propelling the economic and social development that is vital to achieving the Sustai
November 1, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Both the UITP and the 998 International Transport Forum (ITF) have welcomed the United Nations High-Level Advisory Group report which recommends that greener, more efficient and sustainable transport can save trillions and help achieve the sustainable development goals.

According to the report, Mobilizing Sustainable Transport for Development, greater investment in greener, more sustainable transport systems is essential for propelling the economic and social development that is vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, according to an expert panel report delivered to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon in New York last week.

The panel’s report provides ten recommendations on how governments, businesses and civil society should re-direct resources in the transport sector to advance sustainable development.

Investment in sustainable transport, the experts found, could lead to fuel savings and lower operational costs, decreased congestion, reduced air pollution and savings of up to US$70 trillion by 2050.

Ban Ki-moon noted that sustainable transport was essential to efforts to fight climate change, reduce air pollution and improve road safety: “Sustainable transport supports inclusive growth, job creation, poverty reduction, access to markets, the empowerment of women, and the well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.”

The panel’s recommendations highlight the importance of an integrated approach to policy, investments and institutional strengthening and the benefits of engaging a wide range of stakeholders and funding sources. They also include the promotion of sustainable transport technologies, cleaner fuels and the increase of international development funding and the need to put particular weight on the needs, challenges and opportunities in developing countries

José Viegas, secretary-general of the ITF, said, “Sustainable transport drives sustainable development. It is fundamental to meeting the needs of people in their personal and economic lives, while maintaining the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

“Transport is not an end in itself. It is a means for access to jobs, markets, education, health services, cultural interaction and a whole range of other services and amenities that contribute to healthy and fulfilling lives.”

UTC

Related Content

  • March 24, 2016
    Report highlights positive effects of US diesel emissions reduction program
    Clean diesel grants aimed at cleaning up old diesel engines have greatly improved public health by cutting harmful pollution that causes premature deaths, asthma attacks and missed school and workdays, according to a new report by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since its start in 2008, the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) program has significantly improved air quality for communities across the country by retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines. Diesel exhaust significantly con
  • December 16, 2024
    Asking the right questions about AI and equity
    At the 7th International TRB Women and Gender in Transportation conference, Mehri Mohebbi led the Gender Equity and AI in Transportation workshop. Here are some of her key takeaways from the session – and from the wider conference…
  • November 3, 2021
    NTTA: Diversity boosts access & opportunity
    North Texas Tollway Authority has won IBTTA’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award. But what made the organisation’s focus on disadvantaged, minority and woman business enterprises stand out?
  • December 16, 2013
    Policy decisions are ‘key determinant for more sustainable transport’
    The volume of global transport could double or even quadruple by 2050, according to a new study released by the International Transport Forum (ITF). GDP growth, freight intensity of economic activity and demographic change are important drivers of this growth, but key determinants for the level of future increases are policy choices, according to the ITF Transport Outlook: a report containing long-run scenarios for global transport activity and related CO2 emissions. China and India drive transport volu