The International Road Federation (IRF), with a global coalition of partners, announced a voluntary commitment to support the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035) to accelerate the transformation towards inclusive, safe, green and efficient road systems for all.

Building on shared expertise and a unified vision for sustainable mobility, the coalition aims to help countries strengthen the way roads are planned, designed and managed to meet the social, environmental and economic challenges of the decade ahead.

The commitment is endorsed by Arup, Australia National Transport Research Organisation, Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, International Federation of Consulting Engineers, International Road Assessment Programme, ORIS Materials Intelligence, and World Wildlife Fund.

Roads are the arteries of global mobility, connecting people, goods and opportunities.

They are key enabler for economic growth, resilient infrastructure, trade, global supply chains, climate action, health promotion, poverty reduction and access to education. How road systems are planned, built and managed will determine whether the Decade of Sustainable Transport achieves its goals.

In many developing regions, rural communities remain disconnected, while urban roads give little priority to people walking, cycling or using public transport. Each year, around 1.19 million people die on the roads and millions more are seriously injured, with vulnerable users such as pedestrians, cyclists and children disproportionately affected. Wildlife–vehicle collisions are also major contributors to roadway deaths and injuries, while causing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.

Meanwhile, road transport contributes nearly 74% of all transport CO₂ emissions and faces growing exposure to climate hazards, causing disruptions and economic loss. In many road networks, congestion also continues to erode productivity, undermining both efficiency and quality of life.

Our commitment will help translate the vision of the Decade into concrete action. At its core stands the Roadmaps for Change series, which will outline policy actions, technical standards and tools, replicable practices, innovation and indicators of progress for roads that are:

• Inclusive roads that improve safe rural access, connect isolated communities to essential services and rebalance urban space to prioritise active and collective mobility.
• Safe roads aligned with the targets of the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety, embedding evidence-based safety principles and interventions into planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation.
• Green roads that advance decarbonisation and resilience, enabling low-emission vehicles and fuels, using sustainable materials, applying whole-life carbon management frameworks and biodiversity-sensitive planning using nature-based solutions.
• Efficient and smart roads that maximise value, safety and performance through digitalisation, automation and intelligent operations, supported by procurement and contractual frameworks that enable data-driven maintenance, logistics and traffic flow.

Complementing the Roadmaps, a capacity-building programme will offer trainings and peer-learning activities to strengthen institutional capacity, with a special focus on road and transport public authorities. The programme will support stakeholders, especially from low- and middle-income countries, in taking ownership of their skills development strategies and instruments. The IRF Global Transport Knowledge Portal (gTKP) will be refreshed and serve as a dedicated resource hub, providing access to tools, case studies and learning materials that enable road agencies and professionals to put the roadmaps into practice.