German Forum takes up call for Safe, Clean, Fair and Green Mobility

June 6, 2016 by Child Health Initiative

Categories: Safe, Clean, Fair & Green, Liveable Cities, Road Safety, Air Quality

Sheila Watson presented the FIA Foundation’s vision for Safe, Clean, Fair and Green urban mobility.

Members of the Panel at the German Habitat Forum.

A major international mobility forum hosted by the German Government, and linked to the Habitat III process, has heard a call from the FIA Foundation for action on air quality, road safety and low carbon transport. 

On June 1st and 2nd 2016 over 1000 attendees from 74 countries took part in the German Habitat Forum in Berlin, to agree recommendations for future urban development. Sheila Watson, FIA Foundation Deputy Director, and Director of Environment and Research (pictured above left), spoke at the event at the invitation of the German government. As part of a panel with ICLEI – the global network of cities and local government, she presented the FIA Foundation’s vision for Safe, Clean, Fair and Green urban mobility. Her presentation emphasised key areas for liveable cities, including safe roads for children on their way to school, lower emissions from vehicles, and improved women’s security on public transport.

The conclusions of the German Mobility Forum, known as the ‘Berlin recommendations for the cities of tomorrow’ are important as they will feed into the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at the UN Habitat III conference being held in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016. Habitat III aims to shape urban development globally over the next decade. The Berlin Recommendations mirror the FIA Foundation’s emphasis on safe and sustainable mobility, picking out the same themes of safe, clean and fair and green low-carbon transport. The recommendations state:

Cities and national governments should develop sustainable urban mobility policies that provide for universal, gender responsive access to safe, clean and affordable transport for all… Eco-mobility is essential for the quality of life, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, achieving social equality, improving air quality and public health, and strengthening the local economy.

Sheila Watson, commenting on the outcome document said:

“I am delighted that the conclusions of the German Habitat Forum is in line with the FIA Foundation’s vision for safe, clean, fair and green mobility to enhance people’s quality of life. Indeed, the fact that women may experience transport differently from men, is a key theme of our ‘Safe and sound’ research, and it is important that personal security in urban transport is understood and addressed, alongside action to improve road safety, vehicle fuel economy and urban air quality”.

FIA Foundation presentation to German Habitat Forum

FIA Foundation Habitat III: Urban Mobility for all:
http://www.fiafoundation.org/connect/publications/habitat-iii-urban-mobility-for-all

‘Berlin Recommendations for the cities of tomorrow’ document:
http://www.german-habitat-forum.de/assets/berlin_recommendations.pdf