SUPPORT TO THE SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSPORT IN THE CITY OF BELGRADE

NATASHA MARTINS, PORTFOLIO MANAGER UNDP SERBIA

1

Introduction

Project title

Support to Sustainable

Transport in the City of Belgrade

Project location Belgrade, Serbia

Project durationMay 2010 – May

2014Value (total

budget)US$ 950,000

(GEF)

US$ 7,451,951 (the difference through in-kind

contribution)

FundingGlobal

Environmental Facility (GEF)

Main partners and beneficiaries

City of Belgrade through the

Land Development

Agency and the

Secretariat for Transport

2

Objectives

The project is intended to significantly improve the transport management infrastructureand to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting the environment friendlydevelopment of Belgrade. The project will involve the civil sector and allow for a jointapproach to the solution of the problems related to the sustainable management oftransport. The project aims to allow Serbia to mainstream environmental issues into itstransport management infrastructure and help the country to meet its commitments toUnited Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change, by reducing greenhouse gasemissions from the increased use of sustainable transport modes, as well as non-motorizedmodes such as walking and bicycling.

Project purpose

The overall objective of the project is to reduce the metropolitan emissions in the City ofBelgrade by improving the public transport scheme, reinforce the participation of cyclists inthe traffic and provide the policy framework for sustainable urban transport developmentof Belgrade.

Objectives to be achieved

3

SUTP in a nutshell

4

Serbia on its way to the European Union is facing multitude challenges andcommitments with which it needs to comply in order to secure itsmembership in the Union. The environmental acquis presents a hugeworkload of directives and regulations that need to be transposed into thenational legislation and also find their way for implementation. Some ofthese obligations refer to the quality of air, reduction of emissions, noise.

Serbia is also following on certain European initiatives that are embedded inthe climate aquis and framed under the international agreement of Kyoto,reflected in the Serbian strategy for sustainable and economic developmentaiming at decoupling the economic growth and the carbon emissions by 2020.

The emissions caused by transport count for more than 40% in the urbanareas, in particular Belgrade, and the City authorities have placed this issuehigh on their agenda.

The Sustainable Urban Transport Plans (SUTPs) are integrated new policytools that integrate the urban mobility and transport systems intoenvironmental context by at the same time addressing the economic andsocial aspects.

SUTP in a nutshell

5

The SUTPs go far beyond the need to respond by managing road traffic flows and their impacts, but also providing economic and social cohesion through demographic changes that shape the structure of the cities. SUTPs are therefore a valuable tool for overcoming legal, financial, social, and cultural barriers that may hamper the development and implementation of a sustainable urban mobility system.

The City of Belgrade has already taken the first step in dealing with the main urban challenges that affect the environment, economy and social context. In the frame of the support provided by the Global Environmental Facility and the UNDP Serbia, a process of preparing the SUTP for Belgrade was recently initiated that shall result with the planning process of the SUTP being in place by September 2012. Still, this is far from having the entire SUTP concluded, as the planning process is just one of the four phases of a SUTP. The reasons behind this are budgetary constraints.

Reasons for…

6

It is of vital importance for Belgrade to have a Sustainable Urban Transport Plan fully prepared in due time in order to:

Better implement the environmental directives that refer to air pollution, noise and reduction of emissions

Comply with the commitments undertaken through the UNFCCC and the Kyoto protocol

Increase the competitiveness of the city and the region and therefore comply with the regional policy of the EU

Boost the preparedness for absorption of the Cohesion funds (once the Country is eligible) as the SUTP is an excellent platform for preparation of projects eligible under the Cohesion fund of the EC

SUTP Objectives

7

1: Planning phase

8

List of stakeholders/Institutional framework

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

THANK YOU.natasha.martins@undp.org

29