The fourth and final day of Velo-city 2018 started with a stimulating panel discussion about “Global Policy”.

In a nutshell, the plenary discussed the status of the bicycle in global policy processes breakthrough, with the New Urban Agenda, GAPPA, with emphasis on the importance of a sustainable governance system. Global policy touched upon various issues, such as: What does it means to be human from a physiological perspective, we are the products of our environment, building healthy and sustainable cities, we are all architects, what are the global policies that help us build the environments that make healthy and sustainable outcomes inevitable?

The plenary was moderated by Philippe Crist from OECD.

The speakers for the plenary “Global Policy” were:

• Stefanie Holzwarth, from UN Habitat. 
• Grégoire Gauthier, from the World Bank.     
• Cristina Mendonça, from C40.  
• Carlos Ruiz-Garvia, from RCC Panama: UNFCCC/CAF.
• Thiago Herick de Sa, from the World Health Organization. 

The plenary was divided in two parts. The first part featured Mr. Herick de Sa, representative from WHO and Ms. Holzwarth, from UN Habitat in a discussion about GAPPA and New Urban Agenda with focus on health, NCDs and physical activity. More specifically, it focused on how to make physical activity an inevitable outcome of our daily life.

The plenary included questions addressed to Mr. Herick de Sa and Ms. Holzwarth on how we maintain adequate levels of physical activity and what is important to retain in the urban environment in order to cataluse (or not) “visible” and “invisible” physical activity. How can we build-in physical activity and physical activity “nudges” into our daily life – what does this imply for cycling and walking? Do we need a different policy framework and configuration to achieve the active, playful city?

The second part of the plenary featured Mr. Ruiz-Garvia, representative from UNFCCC , Mr. Gauthier from SUM4ALL (World Bank) and Mendonça representative of C40, on a panel discussion that focused on policies for better and cleaner cities, the need for good data and governance. Making sustainable mobility an inevitable outcome of our daily life.

The plenary wrapped up with questions addressed to Ms. Mendonça, Mr. Gauthier and Mr. Ruiz-Garvia on how to build-in safety, health and climate outcomes into everyday actions. What are the roles of processes like the New Urban Agenda. Can we “hide” climate actions in everyday transport and health policies? What about implementation of policies --- what do we know that works? Finally, can the bicycle be a tool for resilience? What resilience?

The plenary “Global Policy” took place during Day 4 of Velo-city 2018; Friday 15^th June 2018 at 9.00-10.00.