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

  • August 3, 2015
    Electric buses: more billion dollar orders
    China will spend up to one trillion dollars on electric buses over the coming 15 years according to analysts IDTechEx. This will reduce the impact of over 22.5 trillion dollars from air pollution over that time, at least one percent of GDP. More insurrection will occur if corrective action is insufficient because hundreds of thousands are dying from traffic pollution and far more are suffering resultant serious disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 m
  • November 17, 2015
    UN vehicle regulations ‘could prevent deaths and injuries in Brazil’
    A new research report from the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has revealed that 34,000 Brazilian lives could be saved and 350,000 serious injuries prevented by 2030, if UN vehicle safety regulations were adopted and car manufacturers sought to achieve higher ratings in the Latin NCAP crash test programme. Published on the eve of the second High Level Conference on Road Safety in Brazil, the independent study, which was commissioned by Global NCAP, highlights the gap between the regulated vehicl
  • November 30, 2017
    ITS (UK): Shift to emissions free vehicles will make road network funding unsustainable
    Shortfalls in fuel tax caused by moving to emissions-free vehicles will make current ways of funding road networks unsustainable, according to a joint forum between ITS (UK) Road User Charging Interest Group and ITS Ireland hosted by Aecom, Dublin. The group consisted of policy makers, toll operators, payment providers and highway users from seven European countries.
  • September 26, 2014
    CIHT manifesto calls for national UK transport strategy
    The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) has launched its manifesto outlining the Institution’s proposals and views on key issues affecting the industry. Making the Journey - A Manifesto for Transport highlights the benefits of this sector to the UK’s economy and society and calls for a national transport strategy to provide clear direction and certainty for UK transport policy. It also points out the need for a longer-term view and commitment to future funding for the UK’s transpo