COP27: Sign the open letter

As part of the Partnership for Active Travel and Health, Walk21 is issuing an open letter to governments and cities, ahead to the COP27 climate summit. The letter is calling for commitment to walking and cycling as a key solution to the climate, health and equity challenges we face.

The PATH coalition seeks to unlock walking and cycling’s potential to accelerate the achievement of climate goals and other benefits, through greater prioritisation and investment, including through national transport, health and environment strategies and through Nationally Determined Contributions and Voluntary National Reviews.

Enabling more people to walk and cycle safely can play a greater role in achieving climate goals, and is a quick, affordable and reliable way to lower transport emissions while improving public health, strengthening the economy and supporting a fairer, more equitable society. Walking and cycling deliver on more Sustainable Development Goals than any other transport mode and have enormous further potential, yet they are still under-prioritised in the transport and mobility mix and the wider climate agenda.

Click here to read and sign the letter:

Report: Make way for walking and cycling

The campaign is supported with the report Make Way for Walking and Cycling that was issued with the launch of the PATH partnership. The report the draws on a wealth of existing research and studies to highlight walking and cycling’s benefits and enormous further potential for the climate, air quality, health and well-being.

The report reminds us that transport is the sector with the strongest growth in emissions. However, the potential for replacing motorised vehicle trips with walking and cycling is huge but within our grasp. Walking and cycling lack priority in the transport and mobility mix and the wider climate agenda. PATH believes that a truly sustainable mobility paradigm must include a much larger share of investment in walking and cycling.

PATH Partnership

The Partnership for Active Travel and Health is a new global coalition calling on governments and cities to make a real commitment to active travel. It is comprised of leading organisations in the sustainable mobility community who collaborate to promote walking and cycling and is coordinated by a core group consisting of the FIA Foundation – who are funding the coordination work – Walk21, the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

Bronwen Thornton, CEO of Walk21 said:

‘It is reassuring to see that already a quarter of national climate commitments include walking and cycling actions. With PATH, we aim to support every country to plan and deliver more through their transport commitments to meet the Paris climate goals in an affordable, quick and reliable way’

Jim Walker, Director of Walk21 said:

‘Enabling a bigger share of urban trips to be walked and cycled is a quick, affordable and reliable way to significantly reduce transport emissions, traffic congestion and road casualties, and will also deliver improved public health, stronger economies and fairer societies.’