High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment adopts “Amsterdam Declaration” on
Transport Choices for our Health, Environment and Prosperity
Geneva, 23 January 2009 --
Ministers, high-level officials from Ministries of Transport, Health and Environment and non-governmental organizations of 38 countries gathered in Amsterdam on 22 and 23 January to renew their political commitment for sustainable and healthy transport in Europe and to carve out a common vision on how to turn the challenges of the current financial crisis into opportunities for an integration of environment- and health-friendly transport policies.
At the close of the Meeting, delegations unanimously adopted the “Amsterdam Declaration on Transport Choices for our Health, Environment and Prosperity”. The Declaration, though not legally binding, commits countries to achieving four priority goals on safe, efficient, healthy and environmentally sustainable transport:
- Goal 1: Direct investments to transport infrastructures that promote safety, environment and health, including clean and efficient public transport, intermodal connections and infrastructures for environment- and health-friendly transport;
- Goal 2: Manage sustainable mobility for businesses, schools and leisure activities and raise awareness of mobility choices;
- Goal 3: Reduce emissions of transport-related greenhouse gases, air pollutants and noise;
- Goal 4: Promote policies and actions conducive to healthy and safe modes of transport by a proper design of urban areas and transport infrastructure with focus on children and the elderly.
In order to build bridges and make the link between transport, health and environment and between countries in Europe, including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and South-East Europe, the Meeting decided to strengthen the Transport, Health and Environment pan-European Programme (THE PEP). The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe were requested to continue to support THE PEP as a pan-European platform for country cooperation and for an exchange of knowledge and policies on efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly transport systems.
Opened by Mr. Siebe Riedstra, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management of the Netherlands, Mr. Paolo Garonna, Deputy Executive Secretary of UNECE and Dr. Nata Menabde, Deputy Regional Director, WHO/Europe, the Third High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment organized by UNECE and WHO-Europe brought together some 150 policymakers and experts from 38 European countries, including Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The Meeting took stock and reviewed developments in road, rail and inland water transport in Europe and their impact on environment and health during the past 10 years. It recognized that many countries have by now developed strategies and programmes to improve environmental and health protection in the transport sector, especially in the Western part of the region. Still, policy reform has been slower in some low-and middle income countries, as the need for economic revival was prioritized over environmental objectives. In general, trends show that innovative solutions are required to address the challenges of sustainability, accessibility, and livability of cities.
The experiences from countries on how sustainable transport can boost health, environment and economy were at the focus of the two-day discussions. It was shown that investment in healthy and green transport, clean and efficient public transport systems and transport infrastructure, can help reduce congestion, road traffic accidents and pollution, thereby contributing to healthier societies, sustainable mobility and wealth, and to combating climate change.
In order to achieve these goals, the Meeting decided to strengthen the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP). THE PEP was created by UNECE and WHO-Europe member States in 2002 with the aim of promoting policy integration between the transport, health and environment sectors on the road towards sustainable development. THE PEP, in which all three sectors participate on an equal footing, provides a framework for the exchange of good and bad practices among policy makers and experts from Ministries of Transport, Environment and Health, non-governmental organizations and the industry in the wider European region.
Specifically, the Amsterdam Meeting agreed on key elements of a 2009-2014 work plan for THE PEP and established new implementation mechanisms, such as:
- National Transport, Health and Environment Action Plans (NTHEAPs) that include targets and timetables for national implementation in line with country needs;
- THE PEP relay race as a voluntary mechanism to facilitate communication and exchange of experiences among interested countries; and
- THE PEP Partnership to make expertise available and facilitate the exchange of knowledge between countries in the wider European context.
The Amsterdam Meeting also launched new products for transport and urban planners to take account of health impacts when estimating costs and integrating transport, environment and health in their policies:
- THE PEP Toolbox of good practice in sustainable urban transport;
- Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for cycling; and
- Guidance on how to quantify health effects of cycling and walking.
The next session of THE PEP Steering Committee, responsible for the implementation of the Amsterdam Declaration, will take place in Geneva in October 2009. Already earlier, possibly in September 2009, an international workshop on cycling and walking in urban areas will be held in Prague as part of the PEP relay race transmitting the message of Amsterdam to other European cities and countries. Another THE PEP workshop on sustainable urban transport will be organized for the South-Eastern European countries, possibly in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Governments of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan extended invitations for holding THE PEP workshops focusing on integration policies and projects in their countries.
For further information, consult THE PEP website (www.thepep.org/en/welcome.htm). Information on WHO/Europe and UNECE activities on transport, health and environment is available respectively at http://www.euro.who.int/transport and http://www.unece.org/trans/welcome.html
For further information, please contact:
Ms Brinda Wachs
Environmental Affairs Officer
Environment, Housing and Land Management Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 (0)22 917 2452
Fax: + 41 (0)22 917 0621
E-mail: [email protected] |
Ms Charlotte Griffiths
Officer in Charge – Information Service
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)22 917 4444
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 0505
E-mail: [email protected] |
Ref: ECE/ENV/09/P01/Add.1