On 6 May, the draft text of the United Nations Habitat III Quito Declaration was published. This landmark document is due to be formally adopted during the Habitat III conference in October 2016, and details the path to sustainable urban development across the globe, otherwise known as the “New Urban Agenda”.
UITP participated in the creation of this document and provided key input, which helped shape the draft text. UITP will also continue to monitor the subsequent implementation process. One of the biggest elements in the current document is the recognition of public transport and mobility as key components for achieving sustainable urban development. UITP strongly supports this draft declaration which incorporates its recommendations aimed at creating and fostering a policy environment that supports the development of public transport worldwide.
Expanding upon target 11.2 in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which recommended expanding public transport, the draft Quito Implementation Plan also includes important declarations from national governments acknowledging the link between urban mobility and sustainable development.
Furthermore, the national commitments in the New Urban Agenda will play a key role in stimulating national, local and international level policies that enable public transport, such as:
- The promotion of dense and compact urban development, which reduces the need to travel and is conducive to cost-effective public transport
- The development of integrated urban strategies, which link public transport with urban development and land-use planning
- The formulation of National Urban Policies which enable local authorities to have both the mandate and the financial means to plan, procure and provide sustainable urban services and infrastructures, including mobility and public transport
- The promotion and support for governance at metropolitan area level, allowing authorities and operating companies to provide public transport and other services at the most appropriate level of scale
- The possible establishment of urban infrastructure funds at national level, based on diverse funding sources
- The development of common mechanisms and frameworks to appraise the wider benefits of urban transport, including impact on the economy, quality of life, accessibility or road safety
Click here to read more about the Habitat III Proces and the UITP involvement.
Click here to read to full Zero-draft document
About UITP
The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes. We have 1,400 member companies giving access to 16,000 contacts from 96 countries. Our members are public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, research institutes and the public transport supply and service industry.
UITP member companies in North America include some of the region’s largest operators in metro (New York, Boston, Washington, Montreal and Toronto) and light rail systems (Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Honolulu, Edmonton and Vancouver). UITP opened its first office in North America in New York City in 2015 to support the growth of urban transit in the region and will hold its flagship event, the Global Public Transport Summit, in Montreal in May 2017. Find out more about UITP’s activities in North America.
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