The United Nations presented on Wednesday the first Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035) and its corresponding Implementation Plan during a special event held at its headquarters in New York, as reported by the Argentine News Agency. The meeting was attended by transport leaders from various governments, representatives of the UN system, local authorities, members of the private sector, civil society organizations, and youth groups from different regions of the world. 'The consultative and inclusive process has opened new avenues for cooperation, and we have had the privilege of leading it,' said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General and head of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The plan, developed by DESA, details six focus areas and the means for their implementation. It also emphasizes that sustainable transport is an essential component for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in areas such as poverty eradication, health, climate action, gender equality, and education. With demand for transport expected to double by 2050, the UN warned that mobility decisions to be made in the next decade will be decisive in consolidating sustainable development pathways. During the event, 83 concrete commitments from various countries and organizations were also announced, with initiatives to promote clean mobility, zero-emission transport, active mobility, data generation, technical capacity building, and sectoral reporting. The UN General Assembly had designated 2026 as the start of the first UN Decade of Sustainable Transport in 2023.
