Europe hosts air quality awareness week

Today marks the end of a week of activities around the theme of air quality, which was sponsored by the European Commission.

The topic of this year's European Mobility Week was clean air for all and it aimed to encourage local authorities to organise and launch permanent measures to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions linked to the transport sector.

With this aim in mind, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and the United Nations Environment Programme - which established the Champions of the Earth award in 2004 - recently released a television advertising campaign.

UITP secretary general Hans Rat said that challenging those with car-dependent lifestyles is no easy task.

"But this has proven so powerful because it manages to transmit a very serious message in a simple, clear and positive way," he stated.

Mr Rat added that both organisations believe that it is in line with the philosophy and aims of the week.

Written by Claire Manning