Several countries within and even beyond Europe were earlier this month busy participating in Mobility Week. For a whole week, citizens could enjoy events and initiatives specifically about sustainable mobility. This means that individuals could learn more about the risks posed by current private car use reliance as well as about the benefits to their health and the environment when creative alternative means of transport is put into practice.

Mobility Week builds upon the success of the campaign In Town Without My Car, which started in France in 1998. This campaign is in response to the concern of many European citizens about their poor quality of life due to air and noise pollution. Its aim is to create awareness on the need to take action against the ever-increasing number of cars in urbanised areas.

The event serves as an opportunity for local authorities to raise awareness among their citizens and gives society the opportunity to offer its support towards an environmental initiative aimed at improving their own quality of life.

The focal theme for Mobility Week 2006 was Climate Change. There is a strong relation between private car use and climate change. In recent years, Europe has felt the impact of climate change with several countries experiencing floods, forest fires and glacier shrinkage.

There is sufficient scientific evidence to demonstrate the link between human activity and freak climatic conditions. Therefore, Climate Change has emerged as a central theme within several environmental and energy policies at EU level.

Yet, there is also recognition that more needs to be done at the local level, especially through consultation based on Local Agenda 21 principles. Furthermore, the desired outcome can be achieved with the full support of the authorities in providing education, training and public awareness.

The success of an event such as Mobility Week depends on the level of commitment from the national coordinators, which in most cases is the relevant ministries or government agencies. The national coordinators are crucial in ensuring a coherent policy and methodology for the campaign through an effective communications programme.

In recent years, Malta seems to have been unable to come to grips with holding a successful Mobility Week and Car Free Days proved to be a nightmare for Maltese citizens. It seems that this year Malta, with the exception of one or two local councils, has decided to give this golden opportunity to create awareness on road transport and climate change a miss.

Yet, can the country really afford to fall behind on an environmental issue that will shape the future of the world? Isn't it time to set up a think tank and allocate funds for the realisation of a truly effective Mobility Week in 2007?

Such an event needs a great deal of planning as it takes more than just a couple of adverts to educate citizens on the benefits of this campaign. In the absence of the provision of training, education and public awareness, next time round let us not put the blame on the public for their reluctance to participate in Mobility Week!

Ms Mifsud is a board member and education campaigner of Friends of the Earth (Malta).

www.foemalta.org

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