Bloomberg Philanthropies Annual Update highlights progress on global road safety

Bloomberg Philanthropies - the charitable foundation of former New York City Mayor and current United Nations Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael Bloomberg - released its 2013 Annual Update, showcasing the achievements of its global programs to improve the environment, public health, government innovation, education, and the arts. For four years, EMBARQ, the sustainable transport and urban development program of the World Resources Institute (WRI), has worked with Bloomberg Philanthropies to improve public health and road safety through sustainable transport and urban design in Brazil, India, Mexico, and Turkey. By focusing on the needs of people instead of vehicles in urban areas, our partnership helps transform cities and transport options to protect pedestrians, bikers, and drivers alike. We work at the nexus of traffic safety, climate change, and public health, making people healthier and more active while reducing air pollution.

With traffic fatalities projected to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030, these actions are imperative to ensuring safe, accessible cities for all. Between 2010 and 2013, the Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program trained 22,000 professionals on road safety interventions, reached 65 million people through public media campaigns, and saved 13,000 lives. The EMBARQ-Bloomberg Philanthropies partnership has yielded high quality research linking sustainable transport and urban design to traffic safety; expert dialogue on policy and planning for safe, sustainable cities; and most importantly, contributed to saved lives. For more on how EMBARQ is improving traffic safety through our partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, read EMBARQ’s Approach to Health and Road Safety.

Download the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2013 Annual Update

The Bloomberg Philanthropies 2013 Annual Update is available for download at http://www.bloomberg.org/about/annual-report.