World Health Organization (WHO)
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GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT CONFERENCE
Ashgabad, Turkmenistan
26-27 November 2017 [Jr Ne;~,::~~,. 0
~]
Statement of Dr-Ha~5~N,.World Health Organization Regional Director Special
Representative
Honourable Chairperson, Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Colleagues,
The World Health Organization warmly congratulates the Government of Turkmenistan for hosting this
first ever global conference on sustainable transport. Shortly more than a year from the adoption of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this event represents a major opportunity to reflect on the
pivotal positive role that healthy and sustainable transport policies may play in achieving many of the
Sustainable Development Goals.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung
disease, are collectively responsible for almost 70% of all deaths worldwide. Addressing NCDs is one of
the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 to "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at
all ages". However, it will be impossible for the health sector to achieve this goal by just focusing on
traditional health promotion strategies. As recognized in the Political Declaration of the High-level
Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases,
addressing NCDs is a major global challenge, which threatens economies of many Member States,
increases inequalities, and requires the coordinated effort and engagement of all sectors of society to
generate effective responses1
.
The WHO fully recognizes that healthy and sustainable transport policies, integrated with healthy and
sustainable urban planning, can deliver multiple benefits, turning major challenges into major
opportunities. For example, a shift towards efficient and clean public transport, coupled with the
promotion of safe walking and cycling, could meet our needs to access services, jobs, education and
amenities while at the same time reducing ambient air pollution, the single most important
environmental threat to our health, and a major cause of NCDs, which in 2012 was responsible for 3
million deaths globally'. Additional huge benefits could be accrued from the reduction of emissions of
greenhouse gas and noise, as well as from the opportunity of reintegrating or maintaining physical
activity, a major protective factor for NCDs, in everybody's daily life. Improving road safety, which
remains the leading cause of death worldwide among young people aged 10-24 years, delivering higher
efficiency in the use of energy and natural resources, as well as providing new opportunities for the
creation of jobs in the green economy and for the regeneration of the quality of our living environments
make these policy changes all the more attractive.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
What I am saying here, comforted by a rapidly growing body of compelling scientific evidence, is
however not completely new! Since 20 years, WHO and the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe are working together to support Member States in making the transition towards healthy and
sustainable transport policies with multiple health, environment and societal dividends. The Transport,
1 http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/politica1_declaration_:…
2 http./ /www .whoJ nt/gho/phe/ outdoor_ air pollution/burden_ text/ en/
Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), jointly serviced by the WHO and UNECE,
is an example of a pioneering policy platform offered to the ministries of transport, health and
environment of the pan-European Region to come together and learn from each other, develop
innovative tools, forge new partnerships and promote research to attain THE PEP vision of "Green and
healthy mobility and transport for sustainable livelihoods for all"'. At the global level, the UN Road
Safety Collaboration is another important example of collaboration with the United Nations regional
commissions. The Collaboration aims to facilitate international cooperation and to strengthen global
and regional coordination among UN agencies and other international partners to implement UN
General Assembly Resolutions and the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury
prevention'. I am delighted to see here today Mr Christian Friis Bach, the Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, our key partner in these endeavours.
THE PEP and the UN Road Safety Collaboration are very tangible examples of how we can make a
difference by working together. I wish to thank wholeheartedly those of you, who have been working
with us and supporting our joint work over time, and warmly invite you all to join in these efforts that
will contribute to ensure "the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable
future for our planet and for present and future generations."'
Thanks for your attention.
3 http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/thepep/documents/D%C3%A9claration_de…
4 .
http://www.who.int/roadsafety /about/ en/
5 http://www.un.org/ga/search/view _ doc.asp ?symbol =A/RES/66/288&La ng=E
GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT CONFERENCE
Ashgabad, Turkmenistan
26-27 November 2017 [Jr Ne;~,::~~,. 0
~]
Statement of Dr-Ha~5~N,.World Health Organization Regional Director Special
Representative
Honourable Chairperson, Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Colleagues,
The World Health Organization warmly congratulates the Government of Turkmenistan for hosting this
first ever global conference on sustainable transport. Shortly more than a year from the adoption of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this event represents a major opportunity to reflect on the
pivotal positive role that healthy and sustainable transport policies may play in achieving many of the
Sustainable Development Goals.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung
disease, are collectively responsible for almost 70% of all deaths worldwide. Addressing NCDs is one of
the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 to "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at
all ages". However, it will be impossible for the health sector to achieve this goal by just focusing on
traditional health promotion strategies. As recognized in the Political Declaration of the High-level
Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases,
addressing NCDs is a major global challenge, which threatens economies of many Member States,
increases inequalities, and requires the coordinated effort and engagement of all sectors of society to
generate effective responses1
.
The WHO fully recognizes that healthy and sustainable transport policies, integrated with healthy and
sustainable urban planning, can deliver multiple benefits, turning major challenges into major
opportunities. For example, a shift towards efficient and clean public transport, coupled with the
promotion of safe walking and cycling, could meet our needs to access services, jobs, education and
amenities while at the same time reducing ambient air pollution, the single most important
environmental threat to our health, and a major cause of NCDs, which in 2012 was responsible for 3
million deaths globally'. Additional huge benefits could be accrued from the reduction of emissions of
greenhouse gas and noise, as well as from the opportunity of reintegrating or maintaining physical
activity, a major protective factor for NCDs, in everybody's daily life. Improving road safety, which
remains the leading cause of death worldwide among young people aged 10-24 years, delivering higher
efficiency in the use of energy and natural resources, as well as providing new opportunities for the
creation of jobs in the green economy and for the regeneration of the quality of our living environments
make these policy changes all the more attractive.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
What I am saying here, comforted by a rapidly growing body of compelling scientific evidence, is
however not completely new! Since 20 years, WHO and the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe are working together to support Member States in making the transition towards healthy and
sustainable transport policies with multiple health, environment and societal dividends. The Transport,
1 http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/politica1_declaration_:…
2 http./ /www .whoJ nt/gho/phe/ outdoor_ air pollution/burden_ text/ en/
Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), jointly serviced by the WHO and UNECE,
is an example of a pioneering policy platform offered to the ministries of transport, health and
environment of the pan-European Region to come together and learn from each other, develop
innovative tools, forge new partnerships and promote research to attain THE PEP vision of "Green and
healthy mobility and transport for sustainable livelihoods for all"'. At the global level, the UN Road
Safety Collaboration is another important example of collaboration with the United Nations regional
commissions. The Collaboration aims to facilitate international cooperation and to strengthen global
and regional coordination among UN agencies and other international partners to implement UN
General Assembly Resolutions and the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury
prevention'. I am delighted to see here today Mr Christian Friis Bach, the Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, our key partner in these endeavours.
THE PEP and the UN Road Safety Collaboration are very tangible examples of how we can make a
difference by working together. I wish to thank wholeheartedly those of you, who have been working
with us and supporting our joint work over time, and warmly invite you all to join in these efforts that
will contribute to ensure "the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable
future for our planet and for present and future generations."'
Thanks for your attention.
3 http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/thepep/documents/D%C3%A9claration_de…
4 .
http://www.who.int/roadsafety /about/ en/
5 http://www.un.org/ga/search/view _ doc.asp ?symbol =A/RES/66/288&La ng=E