This exciting new project aims to promote inclusive urban development via sustainable, urban mobility technologies.
PARIS. April 20, 2021 Bringing transportation and mobility to the forefront of conversations around smart and inclusive cities.
Transportation, fueled by the emergence of new information technologies, has a significant impact on the sustainability and inclusiveness of the world’s cities. UN estimates suggest that cities are responsible for 75% of global CO2 emissions, with transportation being among the largest contributors. Transportation also makes up the second-highest cost on the average family’s budget and can affect an individual’s ability to be employed, the combination of which places a disproportionate burden on communities that are already marginalized.
The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way we think about transportation and mobility, altering the frequencies, distances, and ways in which we move. It has also underscored the importance of transportation and personal mobility in the development of cities especially when it comes to safety and efficiency. Women are, in this respect, especially vulnerable since they have a higher chance of facing safety issues such as harassment and assault during their daily commutes. People with disabilities also face greater challenges than their non-disabled counterparts: the few transportation and mobility options available are often inconvenient and inefficient.
The Smart and Inclusive Cities Tool, proposed by Vulog and UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR, is a collaborative project that addresses this issue by examining the effect of new urban mobility technologies and identifying best practices to build awareness and strengthen cities’ capacities in creating smart and inclusive ecosystems.
Our choice of transportation and personal mobility affects not just the air we breath – it also affects how and where we are able to move, a decision which often has a disproportionality impact on marginalized groups. By integrating connected mobility technologies into its transportation infrastructure, a city increases not just its degree of sustainability, but also inclusivity. Vulog shares UNESCO’s vision of global solidarity to promote inclusive urban development which is why we are honored to be partnering to deliver a concrete tool that will help cities worldwide tacke two major issues affecting the well-being of city dwellers today – pollution and inequality.
Greg Ducongé
CEO, JOCO
Promoting inclusivity across cities and industries
Vulog, the international leader in new mobility technologies, has a global presence with offices in several major cities and clients on all 5 continents. It builds the solutions that power the most successful shared mobility services across the world, helping cities reach their net-zero emissions goals. The company strives to fulfill its role in the actualization of truly inclusive smart cities by working hand-in-hand with city leaders and organizers.
By working hand-in-hand with city leaders and organizers, Vulog contributes to the advancement of gender equality through its annual publication of women’s achievements in the tech, mobility, and transportation sectors and regularly publishes research on pertinent environmental topics such as the impact of private vehicle ownership on an individual’s carbon footprint. In light of Vulog and UNESCO’s shared commitment to gender equality, the collaborative “Smart and Inclusive Cities” project will give special attention to women who, according to studies, suffer from a higher degree of gender inequality compared to their male counterparts, especially regarding safety.
We want to strengthen the resources that we are providing to support the design and implementation of policies to fight racism and discrimination at all levels, across all issues, both inside and outside of governments… Such action requires a whole-of-society approach in order to be transformative. We’re fortunate in this regard to not be starting from zero – UNESCO has a long history of moral and intellectual leadership in the fight against racism, going back more than seventy years, we are capitalizing on this as we already begin to develop ambitious new initiatives… If we are looking to build back better, creating societies that are more inclusive and more resilient, we need to tackle this shadow pandemic – the fight against racism needs to be at the very heart of our strategies to recover from COVID-19.
Gabriela Ramos
Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
A unique partnership with shared goals
Vulog’s “Smart and Inclusive Cities Tool” Project’s partnership with UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR is an important opportunity to bring together policy expertise and cutting-edge data to promote smart and inclusive urban development in cities across the world.
Both Vulog and UNESCO believe strongly that to ensure the achievement of a truly equitable society free of discrimination in this new age, a collaborative effort between those in the public and private sectors is necessary.
Vulog is very proud of its partnership with UNESCO, the specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, sciences, and culture.
