Ministerial Sessions – Monday October 2, 2023

Road Safety

Globally, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years. As part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the goal of the Decade (2011-2020) is to stabilize and then reduce the forecast level of road traffic deaths around the world. By 2030, the goal is to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older person¹.

In June 2022, the General Assembly of the United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution on improving global road safety. The goal of the text titled “Political declaration of the high-level meeting on improving global road safety” is to drive the implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, whose goal is to halve road traffic deaths in the next seven years.

To achieve this goal, we need concrete steps and measures. In this ministerial session, we would like to focus on the issue of young drivers and hear from the delegations about their plans to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries among young drivers. We aim to explore ways to better prepare and educate the so-called novice drivers, which may involve tools such as the probationary period, accompanied driving or other types of learner´s permits. We will elaborate on examples of good practice in driver education and successful measures to reduce fatalities and injuries among motorcyclists.

We live in a world of automation and digitalisation, with the deployment of new technologies that can facilitate our lives. The driving of cars is different from what it was 30 years or even 15 years ago. We would like to hear from you about how to adapt training and education to use new modern trends and conditions. Can you share some good practises from your country?

[1] Road Safety for All. Available at Road Safety for All | UNECE.

Cycling

Transport plays a key role in sustainable development and economic growth on a global scale. Active modes of transport, such as cycling, are indispensable in achieving our climate goals. In accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals, cycling is an affordable mode of transport that provides access to education, jobs and community activities. It eases the financial burden of transportation costs, allowing households to allocate resources to other critical needs, fostering economic independence and resilience. It also improves people´s health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic changed people´s behaviour and perception of the cycling, especially in urban areas. More and more cities and towns are developing cycling infrastructure, giving more space to cyclists by creating dedicated lanes or more parking places for bikes. The investment in better cycling conditions is evident, with an increasing number of e-bikes or shared bicycles on the streets. Reflecting on the goal Sustainable cities and communities, increased cycling makes cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable as cycling is affordable, safe, non¬polluting, healthy, and promotes a sustainable economy. On the one hand it is largely independent from complex high-tech technology and therefore an extremely resilient mode of transport. On the other hand modern communication and e-cycling technolo¬gies integrate cycling into Intelligent Transportation Systems of cities. The higher the modal share of walking, cycling and public transport the more sustainable the transport system is².

We would like to hear from the delegations about the actions they are taking to promote cycling and how to ensure synergies within the concept or micromobility and with other modes of transport. Bikes have also become an integral part of logistic supply chains, contributing to more sustainable freight transport. In this regard, delegations can elaborate on how to create conditions for the use of cycling freight transport.

[2] Cycling and Sustainable Development Goals. Available at Sustainable Development Goals & Cycling – United Nations Western Europe (unric.org).