To tackle this situation and to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in particular, Polotsk became the first Belarusian signatory of the Covenant of Mayors. As a result, the local government and relevant stakeholders have been consistently working on measures to improve quality of life in the city and boost its attractiveness to tourists (Polotsk is the oldest Belarusian city with famous cultural and architectural monuments).
Among such measures is an EU-funded Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (to be adopted in 2016). Having contributions from the local government, transportation experts, active citizens, and the local media, this official document should become a blueprint for (re-)developing the public transportation, creating bicycle lanes, and pushing drivers for the gradual switch to more eco-friendly modes of transportation. Moreover, Polotsk became the first official host of the European Mobility Week in Belarus and its active promoter.