12 June 2015: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport agreed on measures to accelerate a shift towards more efficient, healthy, safe and sustainable transport systems at its meeting in Milan, Italy. The Group will produce an outlook report on global, sustainable transport that will address all modes of transport and a range of issues, including climate change, clean fuels, health and road safety.

Ban established the Group to provide recommendations to policymakers, business and civil society on sustainable transport at the global, national, local and sector levels. The Group is tasked with providing recommendations on building sustainable transport systems that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, efficiently move people and goods, and reduce accidents. The Group is also expected to, inter alia: promote the integration of sustainable transport in intergovernmental processes, including the post-2015 development agenda; and help mobilize actions and initiatives in support of sustainable transport.

At its meeting, the Group also agreed to convene the first international conference on sustainable transport in 2016.

In a press release, UN Under-Secretary General for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Wu Hongbo stressed the need to “build better, safer and more sustainable transport systems…to promote prosperity and greater social well-being while protecting the environment.” [UN Press Release] [Group Website] [IISD RS Story on Group’s Priority Areas]