UITP has Taken Concrete Steps to Further Advance the Health Agenda Around the World

On the day UITP published its latest policy brief “Integrating Mobility Health Impact in Decision-Making” UITP is participating in the World Health Organisation’s First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health.

UITP has announced three new important steps to help fight air pollution in urban areas and prioritize the health and quality of life for urban residents.

UITP, the World Health Organisation and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition have signed a partnership that confirms the important role that public transport can play to protect the health of urban populations - as well as our planet from the effects of air pollution.

This partnership will ensure that our efforts are coordinated to expand the reach of our common objectives.

A campaign with the CCAC to raise awareness of what individuals can do to be part of the low carbon and healthy solution by using public transport and active modes will be launched during the occasion of COP 24.

‘We are happy to announce our partnership with the World Health Organisation and the Climate Clean Air Coalition. In the coming months, we will significantly scale up our joint efforts that will help build an informed public that is ready to embrace healthy mobility solutions, based on efficient public transport integrated systems as the backbone," said Pere Calvet, UITP president.

UITP has also announced the establishment of a ‘Health Cluster’, in the framework of the Mobility Champions Community launched earlier this year by UITP and United Cities and Local Governments.

This new Cluster composed of local leaders will facilitate the exchanges and dissemination of the best practices on how health and overall quality of life for city residents should be the top priority of policy and decision makers.

It will make a significant contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals which will ensure healthy lives, better air quality and promote well-being for all.

The Cluster will meet, at least, once a year. The first official meeting will take place in Stockholm, June 2019, during UITP Global Public Transport Summit.

“Localisation of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is the very key to success. It is also an opportunity for us to demonstrate that it is in cities, regions and territories - the closest to the citizens -that development must become tangible, and equality, health, prosperity and environmental sustainability realised. Our commitments as UCLG today, together with UITP, will enable us to keep advancing in the right mobility and health policy agenda, sharing a powerful global voice.”
Roland Ries, mayor of Strasbourg and co-president of UCLG.

By publishing our policy brief today it will help generate the necessary debate and to call for action at the global level through the extensive UCLG and UITP networks.

As cities will keep getting bigger, more health challenges will emerge for the population. Public transport is key to enable active modes and improve air quality.

“This latest Policy Brief provides four meaningful guiding principles that every Public Transport Authority (PTA) should consider for better citizen welfare. In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority fostered the use of bikes through massive investment in infrastructure and with a public bike sharing system, because public transport cannot fill all needs and new players need to be integrated in our integrated policy. This paper shows through different case studies the key role PTAs have in decision-making, towards a healthier and holistic lifestyle," said Jeremy Yap, deputy chief executive (Public Transport, Policy & Planning), Land Transport Authority (LTA), Singapore and chairman of the UITP Organizing Authorities Committee.