City Initiatives on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport

I. C40 Cities Clean Bus Declaration of Intent

The 22 C40 signatory cities of the Clean Bus Declaration represent total bus fleets of 164,629 around the worldtotal number of clean buses signatory cities have committed to have in their fleets by 2020 is 40,515.

Cities of the Low Emission Vehicles Network collectively forged an International Declaration on Clean Buses, demonstrating a commitment by signatory C40 cities to reducing emissions and improving air quality by incorporating low- and zero-emission buses in their fleets. The Declaration is a call to global manufacturers, public transport operators, leasing companies, multilateral development banks, and other funding agencies to support city ambitions to decarbonize urban mass transport.

Since its signing many other cities from around the world have signed up to it in addition to those originally from Latin America.

For more information: Clean Bus Declaration

II. Civitas

Civitas initiative has a database of 721 mobility related commitments.

Civitas is an initiative co-funded by the European Union, launched in 2002, aiming to tackle pollution caused by transportation in European cities. Its objective is to help cities redefine their transport policies to create cleaner and better transportation systems. So far, Civitas has helped about 60 “demonstration cities” to implement innovative measures to develop greener transports. To achieve its goals, Civitas relies on exchange between cities. The initiative manages several networks and working groups on specific topics, and gathers best practices examples in order to disseminate them widely. Furthermore, Civitas provides funding for transfer of smart measures from one city to another.

For more information on CIVITAS Mobility initiatives, Mobility Solutions

III. Compact of Mayors

There are 58 cities who have signed on to the Compact of Mayors.

Launched at the 2014 United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit, the Compact of Mayors is the world’s largest coalition of city leaders addressing climate change by pledging to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, tracking their progress and preparing for the impacts of climate change. It was organised by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN Special Envoy for cities Michael Bloomberg during UN Secretary General Climate Summit.

The purpose of the Compact is to show what cities around the world are all doing to reduce their emission levels along with promoting what each of them are doing. The aim of the Compact of Mayors is to:

  • Show national government the extent of action cities are already undertaking, so that it might be incorporated in the national level strategies or further supported through more enabling policy environments and resourcing approaches.
  • Encourage increased capital flows into cities to support local action.
  • Demonstrate the commitment of city governments to contribute positively towards more ambitious, transparent, and credible national climate targets by voluntarily agreeing to meet standards similar to those followed by national governments.
  • Establish a consistent and transparent accountability framework that can be used by national governments, private investors or the public to ensure that we can be held responsible for commitments. The main organisations overseeing the Compact of Mayors: C40 Cities Climate leadership group, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and The United Cities and Local governments (UCLG).

For more information on Compact of Mayors: Compact of Mayors

IV. Covenant of Mayors

There are 170 transport related commitments currently being implemented by the Covenant of Mayors.

The Covenant of Mayors is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources on their territories.

By their commitment, Covenant signatories aim to meet and exceed the European Union 20% CO2 reduction objective by 2020.

By signing up to the covenant, members must commit to;

  • Prepare a Baseline Emission Inventory (BEI) within the year following adhesion.
  • Submit a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), approved by the municipal council, within the year following adhesion.
  • Publish regularly – every 2 years after submission of their SEAP – Implementation Reports stating the degree of implementation of the action plan and the interim results.
  • Promote their activities and involve their citizens / stakeholders, including the regular organisation of Local Energy Days.
  • Spread the message of the Covenant of Mayors, in particular by encouraging other local authorities to join and by contributing to major events and thematic workshops.

The Benchmarks of Excellence is a list of small scale achievements by different mayors in the Compact. The Transport related submissions are generally local pledges in a range of different forms, from improving public transport to increasing accessibility to cyclists.

For more information on the Covenant of Mayors: Covenant of Mayors

V. “Do the Right Mix”-Sustainable Urban Mobility Campaign

The Sustainable Urban Mobility Campaign is implemented by 31 countries in Europe.

The Sustainable Urban Mobility Campaign is a three-year initiative launched by DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission in 2012. It aims to support sustainable urban mobility campaigners in the European Union’s 28 Member States, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. It will run until 2015. With the slogan “Do the Right Mix”, it advocates the use of different modes of transport to optimize the cost and environmental impact of each journey.

Concretely, the campaign can help local authorities to promote their own actions in favor of smarter uses of transportation systems. The campaign website and the yearly European Mobility Week (see below) showcases initiatives from all over Europe and Mobility Plans Awards are given each year to the best projects.

As of June 2015, European Mobility Week and Do the Right Mix will be merged into a wider European sustainable urban mobility campaign.

For more information: dogtherightmix.eu

VI. Eltis, The Urban Mobility Observatory

There are more than 500 registered cities included in the Urban Mobility Observatory.

Eltis is an online portal launched by the Intelligent Energy Europe program; it is focused on urban mobility, as well as on related issues, such as urban and regional development, health, energy and environment.

The goal of this initiative is to facilitate exchange of information, knowledge and experience between different stakeholders. The website thus provides case studies, tools (such as guides or online resources) or other useful information (review of European policies, statistics, training resources…) for professionals in the field of urban mobility. The website is participative, allowing users to submit their own experience.

VII. European Mobility Week

Since 2002, 2012 cities have participated in the European Mobility Week.

The Europe Mobility Week is organized each year in the week of September 16th to September 22nd. It promotes the introduction by local authorities of innovative mobility measures or of alternative uses of transportation system, encourages exchanges with citizens on themes related to urban mobility and thus helps to find concrete solutions to issues related to this topic, such as air pollution. The European Mobility Week provides an opportunity for local authorities to promote their own actions and to find new ideas in the experience of other cities.

An annual campaign that during the week of September 16th to 22nd aims get as many cities around Europe as possible to sign up promoting the use of sustainable transport and inviting its residents to try alternative forms of transportation to their cars. The initiative is also supported by the Directorates-General for the Environment and Transport of the European Commission and has formed a partnership with the Do The Right Thing Mix.

VIII. Kyoto Declaration for the promotion of ESTs in Cities

Initially 22 cities had signed the declaration but since 2008 an additional 13 mayors representing their respective cities in Asia have signed up.

A declaration between many key cities in Asia to lead the way in promoting the use of environmentally sustainable modes of transport, signed in at the Asian mayor policy dialogue.

All Mayors that Sign up to the declaration are committing to demonstrate leadership and ownership in promoting EST and setting the vision in Asian cities in motion in close collaboration with the national government, the private sector, civil society, and regional and international communities.

IX. Market Place of the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities

Partnership on Smart cities and Communities include 207 transport related commitments.

Market Place of the European Innovation Partnership on Smart cities and Communities is a place where members who are actively seeking to improve cities in some way as well as seek out and document relevant news. As well as gradually shift all cities in Europe to becoming smart cities along with all of the benefits that they bring.

Its website also includes a list of Commitments made by its members based in a wide variety of places and countries from around Europe.

X. Under20 MoU, Sub-National Global Climate Leadership Memorandum

5 regional governments have made commitments related to transport

An agreement between many regional administrations to find ways to lower the amount of greenhouse gases they are producing. This is achieved through them taking a mutual agreement to make the appropriate commitments in their own region that will lower its carbon footprint.

Believing that sub-national Governments have a much greater role to play in the lowering of carbon emissions than their National counterparts and are far more effective at developing the appropriate policies to combating the causes. Each region is able to freely choose their own commitments so long as they aim for a target of reducing emissions up to 80 or 95% by 2050.