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

  • June 30, 2020
    Paris air pollution: back with a vengeance
    Analysis of French capital's air quality finds it worsening quickly post-lockdown
  • August 4, 2015
    Survey: Majority of UK public remains worried about global warming
    A new survey of over 2,000 members of the public by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and ICM Unlimited has found that 57 per cent of the public are worried about global warming, with 14 per cent saying they were ‘very worried’. The poll found that 64 per cent of people think global warming is already a problem now, while 70 per cent said they think global warming will be a problem in 20 years’ time. The main issues the respondents said they were worried about were flooding and sea level rises (63
  • September 25, 2020
    Destiny Thomas on transit's racist legacy
    The killing of George Floyd by US police sparked international protests and put Black Lives Matter into the spotlight. Dr Destiny Thomas, founder and CEO of Thrivance Group, talks to Adam Hill about the legacy of racism in transit, Covid-19, slow streets – and what comes next
  • May 16, 2012
    ARTBA highlights transport's importance to US
    New data available from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) highlights the importance of transportation spending to US economic growth. This information can be sourced through a new Internet resource set up by ARTBA. The data has been revealed at a time when the multi-year highway/transit authorisation bill is still being discussed in the US Congress. The US secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, said at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 that he hopes a six year authorisation bill will