The “Strengthening the integration of health and environmental aspects into transport policies in Central Asian countries” workshop is organized under the auspices of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan European Programme (THE PEP). The Programme, which is jointly managed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Environment and Sustainable Transport Divisions and by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, is a policy framework to promote mobility and transport strategies that integrate environmental and health concerns. The governing body of the Programme mandated the secretariat to organize a capacity-building activity in Central Asia for the five countries in the region as part of the preparations for the Fifth High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment (Vienna, October 2019).

The event is organized in cooperation with the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, the United Nations Development Programme and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and aims to target policy-makers from the transport, health and environmental sectors at national and regional levels.

The objective of the event is to strengthen the capacities of national authorities of countries in Central Asia on integrating THE PEP, its Priority Goals and tools in national policies.

In particular, participants will be able to discuss experiences, good practices and challenges related to the achievement of goals of THE PEP: The event will mainly focus on two of the five goals of THE PEP:

(a) Goal 3 - to protect health and reduce emissions of transport-related greenhouse gases, air pollution and noise (connected to Sustainable Development Goals 3, ”Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” and 13, “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”); and

(b) Goal 5 - to integrate transport, health and environmental objectives into urban and spatial planning policies (connected to Sustainable Development Goal 11, “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”).

Both THE PEP Goals are also connected to the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the New Urban Agenda.

International speakers will outline successful approaches and actions for creating healthy and sustainable transport systems. They will also highlight the preparation of the first Master Plan for Cycling promotion in the pan-European region.

Finally, a feedback session at the end of the event will allow Central Asian countries of to identify their specific needs and provide input to the preparation of the High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment (Vienna, October 2019). The outcomes of the consultations might result in a subregional perspective to be presented at the High-level Meeting and/or in input to specific parts of the outcome document.