The European Union’s Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, will share Europe’s vision for global sustainable mobility on 24 February at the 10th International Railway Summit, which will be held online. The summit is organised in association with the International Union of Railways (UIC), official partner to the event since 2017.
At the outset of the European Year of Rail, Commissioner Vălean will discuss concrete steps to achieve the EU’s emissions target at the summit’s flagship session: Achieving net-zero mobility by 2050: actions to take right now. The debate will also hear from some of the most influential figures from the transport sector and beyond, including François Davenne, Director General of UIC, Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, and Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General of Polis, the network of European cities and regions.
Together, the European Commission and UIC will demonstrate political will for positive change, outline strategies and innovations, and explore avenues for intermodal and international collaboration.
Commissioner Vălean said:
“Railways have a strong history of supporting industrial and technological revolutions. As we seek to transition towards a digital, carbon-neutral society, we are counting on railways to once again play a key role. Railways are unquestionably part of the solution to many of the societal problems we face today – climate change, air pollution, congestion, accessibility. With the European Year of Rail, we want to shine a spotlight on the many benefits of rail transport and accelerate the necessary reforms and investments to ensure we are fit for the new era we are entering.”
Mr Davenne said:
"As the world railway association, UIC has been publishing the technical standards that have framed the modern railways since 1921. 2021 will be both the European Year of the Rail and our centenary. The pandemic and the environmental challenges ahead will require new transport solutions to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050, and rail shall become the backbone of this new mobility. UIC will convene its members on this common purpose and, through this collaborative partnership, will foster innovations that will transform railways into smart interconnected networks.”
The theme of the 10th International Railway Summit will be Reimagining rail: innovation to get society back on (sustainable) track. The most pressing issues, from Covid-19 recovery and sustainable mobility to digital innovation, will be tackled over the course of the four-day summit.
UIC’s Chairman, Gianluigi Castelli, will present during a keynote session on post-Covid recovery, whilst Director Europe, Simon Fletcher, will chair the conference.
Attendees will enjoy further contributions from Covid-19 Taskforce Chairman, Marc Guigon, and Head of Sustainable Development, Lucie Anderton.
The 10th International Railway Summit will provide a platform for national and local governments and rail sector leaders to gather online and share lessons learned, best practice, and visions for the future. The summit will connect live to world-class speakers and site visits from across the globe, and will showcase the latest innovations via bespoke one-to-one business meetings and innovation showrooms.
To find out more about the summit and how to register to attend, please visit www.irits.org/irs10.
