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Achieving sustainable transport patterns

WHO/Europe’s work contributes to achieving the goals of the WHO European process on environment and health and of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP).

THE PEP is a joint initiative of WHO/Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) that facilitates a more effective use of resources and better coordination at the national and international levels. It receives policy direction from the meeting of ministers of three sectors: transport, health and environment, and is driven by a steering committee.

In 2009, the Third High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment adopted the Amsterdam Declaration, which defined the mandate for THE PEP’s activities for 2009–2014 and identified four priority goals.

By providing a European policy framework, THE PEP focuses the activities of WHO/Europe and UNECE on the four priorities:

• investment in environment- and health-friendly transport;
• sustainable mobility and more efficient transport systems;
• reduction of emissions of transport-related greenhouse gases, air pollutants and noise;
• promotion of policies and actions conducive to healthy and safe modes of transport.

It also gives special attention to the needs of the newly independent states and of south-eastern European countries, as well as to particularly environmentally sensitive areas.

THE PEP streamlines and consolidates WHO/Europe and UNECE activities on transport, environment and health, and establishes a unique intergovernmental body in which these three sectors are equally represented. Country representatives from the three sectors created THE PEP in 2002.