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On Wednesday 11 November the Sustainable Low Carbon Transport Initiative (SLOCAT), the International Transport Forum and the World Economic Forum will host the Race to Zero Dialogue on Transport. 

Bronwen Thornton (Walk21 CEO and Chair of the Board for the SLOCAT Foundation) will join the High Level Opening Plenary from 07:00-08:00 CET to highlight the role civil society can play in the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

In the Downloadable Schedule of the Race to Zero Dialogues, you can read more about the initiative and the program.  Join the Race to Zero for the transport sector!

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COVID-19 changed the use of public space because of limited accessibility to open public spaces during lock downs while new complementary spaces emerged such as pop-up pedestrian zones, bike lanes or “streateries” have found their ways into many cities. 

In this context the symposium “2020 A Year Without Public Space: Reflection and Outlook” is an opportunity to look back, reflect and plan ahead for 2021, particularly in the aspects of Cities & Health, Digital Public Space, Innovative & Creative Approaches, and Campus as Public Space. You can still sign up to join the conversation! 

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This essential policy advance will help to mobilize national-level resources to treat walking as a valuable transport option.  Many legal or financial framework conditions need to be aligned on a national level to support the efforts of decision makers in improving walking conditions on regional and city level.

With policies such as a National Walking Strategy states are able to leverage walking as a zero carbon transport option to pay into their decarbonisation efforts as part of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) within the Paris Climate Agreement. 

The guidelines for a National Walking Strategy in Germany were prepared by the German Environmental Agency and the German Institute for Urbanism in the brochure “Let’s Go – Framework for a National Walking Strategy” which is now available as an international version.  The document lays out the opportunities and possible policy targets for walking as “the healthiest, cheapest and most environmentally friendly means of transport.”

The post “Let’s Go” – Germany to advance walking with a national strategy appeared first on Walk21.

On 29 September Walk21 Founder Jim Walker participated in the 12th Global Conference in Accessible Cities that was hosted by the City of Pasto, Colombia.

According to the organizers the event reached an audience of about 20.000 viewers via Facebook livestream and streaming on the event website.

From 29 September to 2 October Walk21 participated in the European Urban Mobility Days 2020 that assembled a wide range of policy makers on the theme of “Zero Emission Mobility for All”.

There were some excellent sessions on gender, funding and sustainable urban mobility planning.  On 1 October Bronwen Thornton hosted a parallel session “Infrastructure for walking, cycling and more” with the panellists Alexander Frederiksen (DonkeyRepublic), Aistė Lukaševičiūtė (City of Kaunas), Martijn te Lintelo (Arnhem Nijmegen), and, Christina Moe Gjerde (Voi).  The group discsussed the need for reallocation of public space for more light mobility.

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Co-hosted with Carly Gilbert-Patrick, Global Programme Manager of UN Environment’s Share the Road Programme, Jim will share the results of this research and explore what the COVID-19 mobility response tells us about what needs to happen next for pedestrians and cyclists in African cities.

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The program awards grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play.

The Community Change Grants program seeks to fund projects that demonstrate increased physical activity and active transportation in a specific community, work to engage people and organizations new to the efforts of walking and walkability, and demonstrate a culture of inclusive health and design.

The post America Walks’ Community Change Grants – Apply until 9 November 2020! appeared first on Walk21.

The Great West Walk connects Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney to the foothills of the Blue Mountain National Park. It includes a total of 375 kilometres that were initially proof-walked and mapped by The Walking Volunteers. Our good friend and original board member for Walk21 Ian Napier was central to this effort.

The Great West Walk was delivered by Blacktown City Council, Parramatta City Council, Penrith City Council, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Western Sydney Parklands Trust and Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils.

We are delighted to hear from Peter McCue (host of Walk21 Sydney in 2014) that the Great West Walk project, initiated by a group of volunteers, “certainly gained a hefty push from Sydney’s Walk21 Conference and the process of having local Mayor’s sign up to The International Charter for Walking”.

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During the 20th Walk21 conference in Rotterdam the “Ruimte voor Lopen” (Space for Walking) Platform was launched as a national forum for exchange and collaboration, intended for organizations and professionals who want to create more space for walking.

Ruimte voor Lopen makes the common interest for walking more visible, increases and connects knowledge about walking and shares good examples.
This year, the members of Ruimte voor Lopen, in collaboration with Walk21, elaborated a Strategic Agenda to deliver on three core goals:

1. Walking is a natural and integral part of policy, design and management.
2. The environment offers opportunities and invites you to walk safely.
3. Walking has a positive image and is encouraged.

The final version of the Strategic Agenda has been presented during the Dutch National Pedestrian Congress on 8 October. The agenda consists of 1) a common vision for the year 2040, 2) a strategic plan for the years 2021-2025, and, 3) an elaboration program for activities in the years 2021-2025.

The projects shared on the platform demonstrate how to further the walking agenda in research and monitoring, planning and design, and, policy as well as lighthouse projects. We are looking forward to learn more about those inspiring examples!

The platform is also a place to celebrate best practices by awarding the Loop Award (Walking Award) to a Dutch initiative that contributes to more space for walking (in the mind, in policy and in the outdoors). We love that this award also considers the visionary aspect of promoting walking! We are looking forward to how the Space for Walking platform continues to increase the footprint of walking in The Netherlands.

The platform is in Dutch, but you can read more about it in English here.

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The network will serve as a platform to champion best practice and influence research, policy and practice, strengthen partnerships, and share experiences and knowledge.

The goal of the group is to contribute to making the life of people who walk and cycle in Africa safer, healthier and more comfortable.  It provides a great opportunity to bring forward a step change in approach to these essential modes across the continent.

And here is the 2020 version of a group shot from the launch!

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