Eight policy priorities to elevate walking in the UN Decade for Sustainable Transport (2026–2035)
Streets for People: Policy proposals to get us where we need to be”, is a strategic contribution to the upcoming UN Decade for Sustainable Transport 2026–2035. The document sets out eight concrete policy priorities designed to place walking at the centre of transport systems worldwide.
Across the globe, walking already sustains billions of daily journeys. It provides access to schools, markets, public transport and essential services, particularly in cities and regions where other transport options are limited or unaffordable. Yet despite its central role in everyday mobility, walking remains structurally under-recognised in transport policy, planning frameworks and investment priorities. The forthcoming UN Decade for Sustainable Transport presents an opportunity to correct this imbalance. If the decade is to achieve its ambitions on safety, climate action, equity and accessibility, walking must move from symbolic acknowledgement to operational priority. The eight policy proposals presented in this document aim to support that transition.
A global agenda for walking
The policy priorities proposed by IFP respond to diverse mobility realities around the world.
In many African and South Asian cities, walking remains the dominant mode of transport, yet pedestrian infrastructure and safety standards are often minimal. In Latin America, strong debates around modal shift coexist with limited institutional frameworks for pedestrian planning. Meanwhile in Europe and North America, long-standing policy recognition of walking has not always translated into adequate investment or coherent national strategies.
This document therefore addresses walking as a global transport issue, not a niche urban design concern. It frames pedestrian mobility as fundamental infrastructure for:
- Equitable access to opportunities
- Public health and active lifestyles
- Climate mitigation and adaptation
- Resilient and low-resource transport systems
- Inclusive public space and social participation
- Caring and inviting cities
The eight policy priorities
The report identifies eight policy areas that governments, international institutions and civil society must address during the decade.
- Recognising walking as a core transport mode in national, regional and local policy frameworks.
- Establishing enforceable global standards for pedestrian safety and accessibility, aligned with Safe System principles.
- Ensuring safe and continuous walking access to public transport, strengthening first- and last-mile connectivity.
- Integrating gender, care and life-course perspectives into mobility policy, addressing the needs of caregivers, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
- Recognising pedestrian infrastructure as climate adaptation and resilience infrastructure, capable of supporting mobility during environmental disruptions.
- Creating dedicated and transparent funding for walking, ensuring that pedestrian investments are protected and visible in transport budgets.
- Developing robust data systems and indicators for walking, enabling monitoring, accountability and evidence-based policy.
- Strengthening pedestrian advocacy ecosystems, recognising civil society organisations as key actors in transport governance.
Taken together, these priorities outline a framework for transforming walking from a marginalised element of mobility policy into a structured and measurable pillar of sustainable transport systems.
Why walking matters for the decade
Walking contributes directly to multiple global objectives. It supports public health, by increasing daily physical activity and reducing exposure to air pollution; climate mitigation, through zero-emission mobility; and urban equity, by providing affordable access to jobs, education and services. It also forms the essential foundation of public transport systems, as nearly every transit journey begins and ends on foot.
At a time when transport debates are often dominated by automation, electrification and large-scale infrastructure projects, this report emphasises a simple reality: the sustainability of mobility systems ultimately depends on the quality of everyday walking environments.
A call to partnership
Delivering on this agenda will require coordinated action across multiple sectors and levels of governance. The document therefore calls on:
- Governments to embed walking in transport strategies, climate plans and public health policies, while establishing enforceable safety standards and dedicated funding.
- Development banks, climate funds and philanthropic institutions to recognise pedestrian infrastructure as eligible for investment in resilience, equity and health programmes.
- Civil society organisations, researchers and professional bodies to collaborate in building the evidence base, developing standards and strengthening global networks for pedestrian advocacy.
IFP stands ready to support this work as a global convener, knowledge broker and advocacy platform. Ensuring that every person can move safely, comfortably and with dignity on foot is not a marginal objective. It is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable transport.
