Mexico City, October 10. - With the purpose of improving the quality of life and public health of citizens through sustainable urban mobility,
European Mobility Week has been held since 2002, inviting cities to generate initiatives to discourage the use of the car and find alternative forms of transport that are environmentally friendly.
This event took place September 16 to 22 and, over the years, it has increased participation worldwide and not just in Europe. There were 3,103 registered participants in 2019 and 2,792 in 2018 - from that continent and from other parts of the world.
Under the slogan "Walk with us", the 2019 European Mobility Week promoted pedestrian and cyclist activity, emphasising the benefits they have for health, the environment and even personal finances.
The EUROCLIMA+ programme, through its Urban Mobility component, promotes the participation of Latin American governments with which there is collaboration. This year, three of the component's project partners took part in Mobility Week activities. Such is the case of Guadalajara in Mexico; Ambato in Ecuador; and Antofagasta in Chile.
Guadalajara
In the Guadalajara metropolitan area, the Integral Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility and the Pilot Project for the analysis of metropolitan displacements are being carried out. Work is being carried out in conjunction with the Metropolitan Planning Institute of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (IMEPLAN).
This institute carried out a series of activities from September 19 to 21. These consisted of a study of Mi Bici users to learn about the needs of women in this public bicycle system. The play Monologues on bicycles was presented, with playwright Teófilo Guerrero. In addition, artistic interventions were held in public spaces. Exploratory marches were also held to define the location of Purple Spots, a series of spaces that aim to provide safe mobility for women. Finally, a Mega-Tour was carried out to encourage the use of the bicycle as a sustainable means of transportation.
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Ambato
The component works with the Decentralised Autonomous Government of Ambato on the project Updating the Transport and Mobility Master Plan of Ambato Canton, Ecuador. The municipality joined the European campaign with the event "Ambato Mobility Week 2019", implemented with support from EUROCLIMA+ and GIZ.
In order to improve the mobility of the city through citizen actions, the following series of activities were carried out: a route to the city's museums by bicycle, a mobility and city management course for students interested in sustainable mobility, urban planning and design, a breakfast with entrepreneurs, an activity to raise awareness about mobility and disability issues, a forum open to the public, a contest for costumes made with recycled materials for children, as well as a nocturnal tour of the city of Ambato.
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Antofagasta
Antofagasta receives support from EUROCLIMA+ to carry out the Strengthening Sustainable Mobility Plan. In addition, with the implementation of GIZ, support is also provided for the city to develop a series of activities for World Car-Free Day, a date that takes place during Mobility Week and that in Chile is celebrated on the last Friday in September.
On September 27, three activities were held: the Sustainable Urban Climate Crisis Seminar, the Citizen Forum, and Citizen Activation. The first brought together local and regional authorities, academics, technicians and the general public for a round of exhibitions, thus generating a dialogue around the current status and future scenarios in terms of sustainable urban mobility in Antofagasta.
For their part, the two other activities focused on exposing citizens to the benefits of sustainable mobility. An information campaign was carried out to publicise the SUMP implemented in the region and a dialogue was generated to receive their concerns. The Ciclorecreovía was also carried out, which consisted of closing a street for pedestrian use and non-motorised mobility, thereby promoting the use of public space.
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About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), and UN Environment.
For more information about the EUROCLIMA+ Urban Mobility component, contact Ana Alcántara This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.