The Mobility Lab Vitoria-Gasteiz Foundation will participate on June 11, 12 and 13 in the ‘Global Green Challenges’ project, funded by the European Union, which will take place in Toluca, State of Mexico. The objective of this meeting seeks to help federal authorities to adopt sustainable and well-planned strategies for sustainable mobility, in the pre-investment phases, preparation of electric mobility or carbon-free transport projects that contribute to a significant reduction of the sector’s carbon footprint in urban areas and the planning of sustainable smart cities. The meeting is organized by the Fundación Iberoamericana de las Administraciones Públicas, a Spanish public foundation that promotes international cooperation in the field of administration, especially in Ibero-America.

As the second largest country in Latin America and the world’s 12th largest producer of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Mexico is one of the most important global players in climate change, facing a slowdown in its decarbonization path, although sharing the challenges of the green agenda.

The director of Mobility Lab Vitoria-Gasteiz, Iñigo Bilbao, will participate in the session on ‘Experiences in Innovation’ of the Project’s Operating Committee together with the Mobility Coordinator of the Barcelona City Council, Angel López. In his speech, Bilbao will talk about the implementation of the Intelligent Electric Bus (BEI) in the capital of Alava and initiatives such as carpooling, which has been promoted by the company Karos in Vitoria-Gasteiz, with the aim of sharing car trips with other people who have similar destinations, becoming an efficient alternative for medium distances or commuting to work or study places. 

He will also speak on the first day of the ‘Thematic Meeting for the Exchange of Experiences in Low Emission Zones’ to which the City Councils of Barcelona and Madrid have been invited. This meeting will explore the regulatory, technological and urban planning approaches used in these cities, as well as the benefits and challenges in improving air quality and mobility.

In the case of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the director of Mobility Lab Vitoria-Gasteiz, Iñigo Bilbao, will be in charge of presenting the approach of the capital of Alava, a pioneering green city, combining planning, innovation and technology in its sustainable mobility strategy, under the title, ‘Vitoria-Gasteiz, European Green Capital: innovation and sustainability in urban mobility’.

In his speech Iñigo Bilbao will present the experience of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the implementation of sustainable urban mobility solutions, starting with a brief introduction of the Mobility Lab and its key functions. He will explain the measures prior to the creation of the ZBE, such as the Sustainable Mobility Plan, the Public Space, the superblocks. Bilbao will also highlight how the ZBE has impacted last mile distribution with projects such as the implementation of the San Martin microhub, the rise of cycling and the DataDum and DataLog projects being developed by Mobility Lab. DataLOG (Data for Intermodal Logistics) is the use case for intermodal logistics that aims, through data sharing, to promote interoperability and intermodality in the field of logistics and support the transfer of goods from road to rail and ship. The DataDUM project (Data for a more sustainable Urban Distribution of Goods) will promote interoperability between the different agents involved in this field, achieving a more sustainable and efficient urban logistics with a lower impact on the quality of life of citizens (noise, pollution, occupation of public space, etc.) through data sharing. In this same session, Iñigo Bilbao will speak about the Michelin Cities Network and its projects in the area of mobility.

“It is an opportunity to show the steps we have taken, those we are taking and those we will take in the future to contribute to a city like Vitoria-Gasteiz that is more sustainable and moving towards the goal of zero emissions by 2030,” says Mobility Lab director Iñigo Bilbao.

The second day will focus on international experiences in sustainable urban mobility, with cases from Portugal, Brazil, Colombia and El Salvador. Strategies for decarbonization of public transport, safe pedestrian mobility, and the use of intelligent technologies for urban management will be addressed. The presentations will provide insight into innovative approaches to planning, infrastructure and digitalization. As on the first day, the day will conclude with a debate between speakers, local authorities and attendees.