Impact mobility rEVolution’18 is coming up, and we’re happy to return to Katowice for our two-day event. The city’s transformation from a heavy industry area into a modern metropolis serves as a perfect match for our event’s message of reshaping the future of mobility. Today, we’ve prepared a quick rundown of Katowice’s eco-friendly initiatives.
Over the course of the past few years, Katowice has launched multiple projects aiming to improve the air quality for its citizens. Stepping away from its coal-oriented tradition, the city now offers financial support for households which decide to replace their old coal-powered boilers with more sustainable options. The city has also introduced a number of programs which aim to educate the wider public about the low quality of coal, and the negative effects of burning waste.
We have a complex plan for fighting smog, and we’re in the midst of its realization. While we’ve got our work cut out for us, we know that all of our actions will result in measurable effects – stated the Mayor of Katowice, Marcin Krupa. While the city’s administration is doing its best to decrease the pollution levels in the future, the current situation is closely monitored as well. On days when fine particle air pollution is expected to be particularly high, official alerts are sent out via text message in order to increase awareness about the issue.
Katowice is also in the progress of replacing its public transport fleet with more environmentally friendly vehicles. Since 2016, the city has invested in 90 modern public busses, and they’re planning to purchase 40 additional ones (including some EVs) by 2020. The Silesian metropolis also puts a significant focus on cycling – it houses the largest bike lending network in the region, and plans to spend 15 million Złoty on new bike lanes within the next two years.
Our Host City’s focus on eco-friendly initiatives has not gone unnoticed: last month, their green outview received a nod from Forbes, which named Katowice the most eco-friendly city in Poland. The first place in the ranking came as an effect of systemic actions taken in numerous areas. Air quality [in our region] gets better each year, and I assume that in the perspective of a few years, our citizens will notice a significant difference – added Krupa.
The upcoming Impact mobility rEVolution’18 isn’t the only environmentally-conscious event Katowice will accommodate this year. The Silesian metropolis is currently hard at work preparing to host COP24 – the annual UN climate summit responsible for directing the course of climate policies around the world. 2018 will mark the third time a Polish city has been chosen to host the conference, and the nomination is not accidental. The whole region of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie is a very important example of what can be achieved through consistent policy of sustainable development and economic transformation. – commented Prof. Jan Szyszko, Polish Minister of the Environment.
To find out more about Katowice’s mobility-related plans, make sure to join us in the International Congress Centre in Katowice on September 13-14th for Impact mobility rEVolution’18!
