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EuropeanMobilityWeek

“Combating climate change is not an option, itis a necessity. If global temperatures continueto r ise, this wi l l present a threat to ourenvironment, wel l-being and to oureconomies. This is why the EU is working hardto meet its Kyoto targets for cutt ingemissions. But overwhelming scienti f icevidence suggests that we need to workharder and aim for deep emissions reductionsworldwide. Kyoto is only a first step - the EU isready to discuss further-reaching measuresfor the post-2012 period and we urge the restof the international community to engage inthis discussion at the earliestopportunity.”

Stavros DimasEuropean Commissioner for the Environmentspeaking in 2005

A European Campaign for sustainable travel !

The European Mobility Week (EMW) aims toinfluence mobility and urban transport issuesfor the long-term as well as to improve healthand quality of life of European citizens. TheEMW is organised each year from 16 to 22September and will celebrate its fifth editionthis year under the theme of “CLIMATECHANGE”. Participating local authorities orga-nise a week of activities promoting cleanmodes of transport, invite citizens and stake-holders to express their visions on their urbantransport system as well as organise a car-free day on 22 September.

Each year more and more cities and townsdecide to join the campaign. In 2005, 950cities participated in the European MobilityWeek and more than 1,450 cities organisedthe “In Town Without My Car” day, involvingaround 179 million citizens in more than 30countries. The initiative, while initially European,has now spread to other parts of the worldand it is attaining worldwide dimensions.

The EMW campaign represents a great oppor-tunity to involve all European cities and citizensaround the common theme of sustainabletransport in urban areas. The aim is to changebehaviour and make progress towards a moresustainable transport strategy for Europe.

Climb Aboard against Climate Change

Climate Change is one of the biggest chal-lenges the world is facing. It is a real and gro-wing threat to the environment. Intensive cli-mate research and monitoring has now provi-de scientists with much greater evidence intheir understanding of the causes and conse-quences of global warming. A global warmingof 1.4-5.8°C will influence weather, seasons,ecosystems, water resources, the health ofcitizens and the global/national economies.Mankind activities have been clearly identifiedas the major contributor to climate destabilisa-tion. Since the Kyoto Protocol, many legalactions have been put forward at all policylevels but much more remains to be done.

Even though the sources contributing to cli-mate change are various, the relationship bet-ween climate change and transport is clear.Transport accounts for 21% of carbon dioxide(CO2) emissions in Europe and is the fastestgrowing source of greenhouse gases. Themain causes are of course the dramaticallyincreasing use of cars and air travel. CO2emissions from vehicles and transport equip-ment are rising by a significant 2.5% per year.

People place their trust in new technologies,new fuels and more efficient engines. Eventhough these might play a useful role in redu-cing emissions, they will certainly not beenough to tackle climate change as a whole.Traffic must be cut... what will you do?

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BEST IN EUROPE!For the fourth time, the European Mobility WeekAward 2006 will reward local authorities' activitiesand promote best practice. An expert jury decideson applications that performed outstandingly duringthe European Mobility Week 2005 and an awardceremony is held during the EuropeanCommission’s Green Week. More information at: www.mobilityweek-europe.org

European Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas,with the representatives of the three nominees for theEuropean Mobility Award 2005: Kromeriz (Czech Republic),Nantes (winner - France) and Donostia San Sebastian (Spain).

KEY FACTS➜ More than 10% of all carbon dioxide

emissions in the EU come from roadtraffic in urban areas

➜ Between 1995 and 2030, totalkilometres travelled in EU urban areasare expected to increase by 40%

➜ 150.000 people already die every yearfrom Climate Change

7 D A Y S F O R S U S T A I N A B L E M O B I L I T Y

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Local moves for global climate

A vital part of encouraging the modal shifttowards environmentally friendly modes oftransport is providing safe and efficient publictransport systems. Cities can also promotewalking, cycling and car pooling by limitingautomobile access to certain roads, increasingparking fees and converting existing roads intobicycle lanes or bus access roads. The intro-duction of computerised traffic light controlsystems, more informative signals, and im-proved network designs can also boost effi-ciency.

Measures to reduce emissions in the transportsector can take years or even decades toshow their full results. But if carried out withcare, climate-friendly transport policies canplay a major role in promoting economic deve-lopment.

The European Mobility Week will presentmany concrete solutions for reducing everyo-ne’s impacts on the climate.

European Mobility Week: a change for the good !

The European Mobility Week initiative aims toinfluence mobility and urban transport issuesfor the long-term. Participating local authori-ties will launch at least one permanent sustai-nable urban transport measure. Such perma-nent measures could be

- Create traffic-calmed or car-free zones- Manage car parking- Improve bicycle networks and facilities- Establish an online car-sharing or car-

pooling system- Offer innovative public transport services- Set up school travel plans

The “In town without my car!”day is the opportunity for all par-ticipating cities to show howmatters related to the environ-ment concern them. The keytypes of actions implemented bythe local authorities are:

– presenting urban centres in adifferent light for one day byrestricting motorised traffic,

– encouraging the use of sustai-nable modes of transport, and

– raising awareness for the envi-ronmental impacts of citizens’modal choice.

In order to make a real change incitizen’s travel habits, it isrecommended to organise “Intown without my car” on 22September, with the challenge oforganising it on a weekday. Asparticipant of the EuropeanMobility Week, you can choosewhen the car free day is bestimplemented within your Week.

DID YOU KNOW THAT:Source: Stop Climate Change Chaos

We can go far without the car!

For a journey from London to Edinburgh (~ 500 km),➜ a plane traveller would be responsible for 96.4 kilogrammes of CO2

➜ a car traveller would be responsible for 71 kilogrammes of CO2

➜ a train traveller would be responsible for 11.9 kilogrammes of CO2

➜ a bus traveller would be responsible for 9.2 kilogrammes of CO2

HOW CAN A LOCAL AUTHORITY PARTICIPATE?Local authorities are given the opportunityto improve the attractiveness of their city,the well-being of their citizens and contri-bute to a better life for all. Interested localauthorities are asked to:➜ Register their events online stating their

compliance with the general outlineand guidelines of the initiative.

➜ Formally sign the European MobilityWeek Charter.

The European coordination of the EuropeanMobility Week provides the participantswith a handbook to help them in thepractical organisation of the Week. Citiesare also welcome to contact either theEuropean coordination point or theirnational coordinator for any further advice.

A communication kit containing the com-mon European communication aids, hand-book and tools is available on the EuropeanMobility Week website:

www.mobilityweek-europe.org

www.mobilityweek-europe.org

EUROCITIESMobility Forum - ACCESSProject coordinator18, square de MeeûsBE-1050 Brussels - BELGIUMContact: Ms. Valérie Bénard Phone: +32 2 552 08 66 v.benard@eurocities.be www.eurocities.org

ENERGIE-CITÉSThe association of Europeanlocal authorities promoting alocal sustainable energy policy2, Chemin de PalenteFR-25000 Besançon - FRANCEContact: Mr. Olivier LagardePhone: +33 3 81 65 36 82olivier.lagarde@energie-cites.org www.energie-cites.org

CLIMATE ALLIANCE Climate Alliance of European CitiesGalvanistr. 28 – DE-60486Frankfurt am Main - GERMANYContact: Ms. Ulrike JanssenPhone: +49 69 717 139 21u.janssen@climatealliance.org www.climatealliance.org

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONEnvironment Directorate-GeneralContact: Ms. Johanna Lampinen200, rue de la LoiBE-Brussels - BELGIUM johanna.lampinen@ec.europa.eu www.ec.europa.eu/environment

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The European coordination

With the political and financial support of:

www.mobilityweek-europe.org

National coordinatorsPlease contact the national coordinator responsible for the EuropeanMobility Week and "In town, without my car!" initiatives in your country.

ALBANIA sajmir@abissnet.com.alAUSTRIA romana.braeuer@klimabuendnis.atBELGIUM bab@komimo.be, philippe.mertens@ieb.be,adukers@met.wallonie.beBRAZIL ruaviva@ruaviva.org.brBULGARIA ilievanelly@moew.government.bgCANADA info@carfreeday.ca COLOMBIA sgracia@transitobogota.gov.coCROATIA kata.gojevic@mzopu.hrCZECH REPUBLIC eva_veverkova@env.czFINLAND outi.vakeva@mintc.fi, mauri.vieru@ymparisto.fiFRANCE emmanuelle.mauchretien@ecologie.gouv.fr,catherine.veyer@ecologie.gouv.frGERMANY e.floesser@klimabuendnis.orgHUNGARY szvetnik@gkm.hu, meszarosi@gkm.huIRELAND eddie_forsythe@environ.ie ITALY pollicino.maria@minambiente.it JAPAN mochizuki@atelierudi.comLATVIA ilze.brakmane@vidm.gov.lvLITHUANIA n.barysiene@am.ltMALTA emanuel.borg@gov.mtNETHERLANDS martijn.de.koning.gans@milieudefensie.nlNORWAY guro.berge@vegvesen.noPOLAND doliwa@obywatel.org.pl, magdalena.cheda@mos.gov.plPORTUGAL antonieta.castro@iambiente.ptROMANIA tiripa.claudia@mappm.roSERBIA AND MONTENEGRO mirko@bicikl.infoSLOVAKIA legen@arr.skSLOVENIA andrej.vuga@gov.siSPAIN diasincoche@telefonica.net, sperlado@mma.esSWEDEN birgitta.malmberg@naturvardsverket.seSWITZERLAND kurt.egger@novaenergie.ch,m.tschannen@rundum-mobil.chTAIWAN ga_f601004@mail.taipei.gov.twUNITED KINGDOM richard.m.evans@ntlworld.com

European andInternationalpartners European and International As-sociations and Organisations cangive formal support to the initiativeby signing the “European MobilityWeek Pledge”. Please find belowthe Associations and Organisationsthat have signed the Pledge so far:

AVERE avere@vub.ac.beBLICC meili.han@respecteurope.comCEMR sylvain.chevassus@ccre-cemr.orgCER-CCFE-GEB johannes.ludewig@cer.beECF office@ecf.comEDF ep@edf-feph.orgEGWA jjimenez@ffe.esETSC information@etsc.beEuropean Schoolnet petru.dumitru@eun.orgFEPA t.bendixson@pobox.comISDE gs@isde.orgIslenet pcoroyannakis@skynet.bePolis kvancluysen@polis-online.orgT&E info@t-e.nuTown Centres info@amcv.beUITP cara.mclaughlin@uitp.com Urban Forums espace@brutele.be

More information

EUROPEAN INFO POINTEUROCITIES – Mobility Forum - ACCESS18 Square de Meeûs / BE-1050 Brussels - BELGIUMPhone: +32 2 552 08 66 - Fax: +32 2 552 08 89v.benard@eurocities.be