Transport Health and Environment Pan-European Programme The Pep

The Pep is a joint programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

"Europe" refers in this context to the UN definition of Europe with its 56 Member States.

The Pep was founded in 2002 with the goal of bringing together the relevant representatives of the three sectors transport - health - environment on an equal footing. The Pep is a unique three sectors programme of UNECE and WHO, where Ministries of Transport, Health and the Environment from 56 European countries including the USA and Canada are cooperating in favour of environmentally-compatible and health-promoting mobility. The Pep is committed to demonstrating and seizing the economic opportunities of environmentally-friendly mobility, at advancing alternative technologies and mobility management at the same time, at reducing transport emissions and health risks and at encouraging health-promoting mobility (e.g. cycling).  

The Pep Steering Committee consists of representatives of the transport, environment and health sectors of the UNECE and WHO Europe Member States in cooperation with various international organisations and NGOs.

In 2012 Robert Thaler, Head of Department in the Federal Ministry and representative of Austria was elected representative of the European Ministries of the Environment, within the framework of the 10^th Steering Committee in Geneva, chairman of the Joint UNECE WHO Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme.

Since its foundation in 2002 Austria has been playing a leading role in The Pep. It supports the implementation of joint projects in the Pep Partnership e.g. by the successful Austro-Hungarian

Slovak umbrella project (transport in sensitive areas by the example of lake Neusiedl/Fertö-tó) and as by the project which is just being launched “Soft mobility on the Danube -Transdanube" as well as a new European fuel saving project. The klimaaktiv mobil programme of the Federal Ministy is considered within The Pep to be the shining example for the implementation of the goals of The Pep at national level.

At the third High-level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment in 2009 the countries adopted the so-called Amsterdam Declaration. This Declaration placed new emphasis on the Pan-European Programme.  4 priority goals until 2013 and concrete mechanism to reach them were set up. In April 2014 the fourth The Pep Ministerial Conference took place in Paris. And in 2019 the fifth high-ranking Ministerial Conference will take place in Vienna.