Overview

• There is no legal driving ban for the observance, so public transport operates normally and participation is optional.
• The initiative is linked to European Mobility Week, with many reports noting the European Commission formalized the Sept. 22 date in 2000, though some cite 1998.
• Its roots trace to the 1973 oil crisis, with early city trials held in 1994 in Reykjavík, La Rochelle and Bath.
• Environmental agencies highlight the impact of vehicles, with U.S. EPA data estimating a typical car emits about 4.6 metric tons of CO2 annually.
• Cities tailor participation and dates to local campaigns, including Bogotá on the first Thursday of February and Medellín on April 22.