The IRU Charter for Sustainable Development (1996) - Brochure

The IRU Charter for Sustainable Development (1996)

Pursuant to Agenda 21 - the comprehensive blueprint for securing a sustainable future adopted by 182 governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit - and in particular to Chapter 27 on strengthening the role of non governmental organisations as partners in achieving sustainable development, as well as Chapter 30 on strengthening the role of business and industry, the International Road Transport Union, representing road transport of goods and passengers for hire and for own account in 64 countries on the 5 continents, subscribes, along with its member Associations and affiliated companies, to the principles and commitments detailed below to ensure that road transport plays its just role in the global quest to achieve sustainable development.

Sustainable development has been broadly defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. For road transport, this translates into the challenge of satisfying market demand with the lowest environmental and economic costs possible.

In light of the above, the IRU and its Member Associations are convinced that the best policy to protect the environment is to reduce the use of resources and their waste, polluting emissions (gaseous and noise), and fuel consumption, at the source.

CONSIDERING THAT:

road transport, like every transport mode and human activity, pollutes;
road transport realises its responsibility to provide the cleanest, quietest, safest and most efficient service possible while recognising that its clients, responding to consumer trends and market demand, have the greatest influence on transport flows;
noteworthy environmental results have already been accomplished in passenger and goods road transport which, despite increasing volumes, will lead to further significant reductions in polluting emissions, waste, and resource consumption through technical improvements, driver training and more efficient operations;
transport safety is a key environmental issue;
government, at all levels, should continuously encourage needed infrastructure development, professional training, and technical improvements in the logistic/transport chain, in co-operation with road transport associations and individual transport companies, and self-regulatory measures aimed at achieving sustainable development in road transport;
economic development is dependent on an efficient passenger and goods road transport system.

THE IRU, ITS MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS AND
AFFILIATED TRANSPORT OPERATORS UNDERTAKE TO:

WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE COMMON GOAL OF SUSTAINABLE ROAD TRANSPORT

encourage the development of long term co-operation and common goals between governments, national Associations and fleet operators aimed at improving environment and energy efficiency, as well as road safety, by each party fulfilling its respective responsibilities;
call upon all road transport users and partners (road builders and maintenance companies, vehicle and equipment manufacturers and petroleum companies), as well as road transport clients and their intermediaries, to co-operate to reduce road transport pollution at the source, and all governments to urgently provide sufficient infrastructure to ensure that industry measures to achieve sustainable development will not continue to be hampered by inadequate infrastructure and make certain that existing infrastructure capacity will not be threatened by future demographic developments;
co-operate with public consumer and labour groups as well as the private sector to develop educational and research programmes to help raise awareness and understanding of road transport's important role in achieving sustainable development;
support the implementation of all non-discriminatory legislation which would effectively achieve sustainable transport at the lowest economic cost;
promote, where competitive, the use of intermodal transport services;
support the internalisation of infrastructure costs of all modes of transport;

IMPLEMENT ROAD TRANSPORT OPERATIONS WHICH RESPECT
THE ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER ROAD USERS

study industry and road transport developments with a view to promoting environmentally sound company policies, programmes and performance, taking into account technical developments, scientific understanding, community expectations and client's needs, and establishing quantifiable performance measures and targets to track progress;
undertake measures to assure optimal fleet maintenance and to verify the proper functioning of vehicles with the objective of remedying immediately any perceived abnormalities to optimise road safety and energy savings and reduce polluting emissions;
instruct and train personnel to conduct their respective daily activities professionally, in an environmentally responsible manner, such as minimising use of all resources and their waste and, moreover, employing the appropriate driving techniques and best logistics strategy (optimise choice of vehicle, itinerary, etc.) to assure optimum security for themselves and other road users as well as to limit polluting emissions and fuel consumption.

[ top ]