Overview

 Major cities around the world are affected by the impact of motorised traffic, both in terms of space requirements (traffic jams, parking) and impacts such as traffic safety problems, unequal access to mobility opportunities, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The consequences will be felt most strongly in urban areas affected by rapid urbanisation and urban growth, as can be found in many Asian, African and Latin American countries.

The international exchange platform Connective Cities and its initiators, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the German Association of Cities and Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World, organized a Dialogue Event on “Sustainable urban mobility: strategies and pathways towards more efficient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable cities” from 19 to 21 June 2017 in Bremen, Germany to specifically look into good practices, challenges and solutions to this crucial topic.

The event was hosted by the Bremen University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Bremen) and it was organized in cooperation with the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen which shared its own experience in sustainable urban mobility projects through targeted study visits including e-mobility public transport as well as cycling and climate resilient infrastructure.

The dialogue event gathered German and international municipal actors with first-hand experience in urban mobility projects, including representatives of municipalities, municipal companies, regional associations as well as representatives from civil society, national ministries, academia and business active in municipal projects in this thematic area. Urban practitioners from Germany, Brazil, Lithuania, Macedonia, Namibia, South Africa and Thailand joined together to present their good practices but also to share their challenges and discuss viable practical solutions for their local needs.

Keynotes

Welcome addresses by the host organisations

Rebecca Karbaumer, City of Bremen, Germany
Welcome to Bremen! Strategies for sustainable mobility in Bremen

Prof. Ulrike Mansfeld, Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Germany

MUNICIPAL KEYNOTE

Michael Glotz-Richter, City of Bremen, Germany
Efficient and sustainable transport: a challenge for cities worldwide

Carlos Esteves, City of Durban, South-Africa
Efficient and sustainable transport: a challenge for cities worldwide

TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE

Bonnie Fenton, German Cyclists' Association (ADFC), Germany 
Sustainable urban transformations: only in medium-sized cities?

Results

The participating cities took advantage of the several exchange opportunities provided within the event methodology to present their challenges and get peer advice as well as to elaborate draft project plans with concrete activities to take back to their municipalities. In the framework of the action planning session specific project ideas emerged including a pilot project for a pedestrian zone, a bus network mapping for public transport users, a project to develop strategies for active modes and a plan for a low emission zone. For each project idea the municipalities identified also specific follow up instruments that Connective Cities will provide to support them further in the implementation process.

Video

Connective Cities' video provides insights on joint work of German and international urban mobility practitioners during their 3-days exchange in Bremen.