At the 7th session of the Open Working Group (OWG) of Member States on Jan. 6, Honorary UITP President Ousmane Thiam addressed the United Nations in New York on the essential role public transport plays in ensuring cities can grow, work and prosper and make life in them better for all.
One of the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, was the agreement by member states to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in 2015 through the OWG.
Citing UITP’s PTx2 strategy and sustainability charter program, Thiam highlighted the wide ranging benefits of more and better public transport and stressed the need for a dedicated goal for sustainable transport as it will marshal the appropriate resources required to allow everyone to have equal access to mobility without entailing the heavy costs to society and the environment.
Addressing the OWG, Thiam said, “Sustainable transport is safe, reliable, clean and is what is best for our economies. Doubling the market share of public transport, alongside adequate walking and cycling facilities will be critical in addressing the problems caused by automobile dependence and ensure that all cities and regions can grow, work and prosper and make life in them better for all. This is why we need a dedicated goal on sustainable transport”.
