"Kids on the move"

A new publication by DG Environment on child mobility

A handbook for local authorities and schools



Children are often more vulnerable to the negative effects of a polluted
environment than adults are, especially in urban areas. However, they
are not just young innocent victims. They also represent a largely
untapped potential resource for encouraging and influencing people to
adopt more sustainable behaviour patterns. We, adults, should take our
responsibility to involve them in the planning and decision-making
processes more seriously, so that they have a chance to influence the
present and shape the future.

As announced by Margot Wallström, Commissioner for Environment, at the
Velocity conference last autumn, DG Environment is happy to launch a
New handbook entitled "Kids on the move".

As the manual "Cycling, the way ahead for towns and cities" did for
urban cycling "Kids on the move" seeks to highlight how important mobility
requirements and options are for promoting the social development,
safety, health and well being of children.

"Kids on the move" contains numerous practical suggestions, addresses
and documentation references on how to address the issue of child
mobility from the point of view of a parent, a school, a transport
operator, a local authority and a child itself. It also includes short
descriptions of some fifteen initiatives that have been taken at local,
national or international level (assemblies for children and young
people, safe routes to schools, walking and cycling buses, public
transport adoption campaign, bicycle for young female immigrants,
bicycle parties such as the Italian Bimbimbici events, car free days,
etc.)


This new publication will be officially presented during Green Week (on
15th April 2002) in Brussels. It will then be distributed both via the
usual EU information channels and via networks or associations of local
authorities, schools, parents, young people, etc. It will also be
available in the coming months at events organised with the participation of
the Commission.

This new handbook should also prove helpful to those who want to take
part in the "European Mobility Week" initiative www.mobilityweek-europe.org and
in particular in those events taking place on September 20 - the day devoted to
the theme "living streets and greenways."

The manual can be downloaded at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/youth/air/arguments7_en.html

In reasonable numbers, further paper copies of this publication
(ISBN: 92-894-1887-7) can be obtained from the following email
address: env-pubs@...

Comments, preferably by electronic mail, are welcome and should be
Sent to Claude Bochu of the Environment Directorate-General.
E-mail: Claude.Bochu@...