Increased cooperation and investments are needed to develop sustainable transport solutions in developing countries to protect human health, improve economic growth and address climate change. This was one of the key messages from a meeting on sustainable transport held yesterday as part of the Fifth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Cancun, Mexico.
Organized jointly by the GEF with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Inter-American Development (IDB), the World Bank, and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (IDB), the meeting brought together a panel of transport specialist from around the world to discuss challenges and solutions for the transport sector in the next decade.
Transport is a crucial sector for sustainable development. When done right, transport can help expand economic opportunities and contribute to poverty reduction. However, rapid motorization is leading to congested cities, air pollution, accidents and rapid increases in greenhouse gas emissions – especially in developing countries – with global emissions from transport projected to increase 50% by 2030.
Improved land use planning and investments in transport infrastructure such as integrated mass transit systems, bicycle paths, walkways, clean fuels and information communication technologies are urgently needed to avoid cities becoming “locked-in” to unsustainable transport infrastructure and urban development.
The meeting highlighted however that there are huge funding gaps and decision-makers are often reluctant to commit limited funds from constrained national or city budgets to address long-term transport needs. “We need to better demonstrate the benefits of sustainable transport investments and develop simplified mechanisms to increase funding” said Rafael Acevedo-Daunas, Lead Environment and Transport Specialist at the IDB. “Strengthening institutional capacities and sharing lessons of good practice between developing countries is a key priority” added Abel Lopez, a Transport Specialist with World Bank.
The application of an “Avoid–Shift–Improve” approach to sustainable transport was also emphasized. “Integrated approaches that avoid the need to travel, while supporting shifts to efficient modes [such as public transport], and improving fuel and vehicle technologies are needed” said Bernardo Baranda, ITDPs Regional Director for Latin America. “Good examples of
sustainable transport initiatives, such as Mexico City’s bicycle sharing network need to be shared so that other cities can learn from creative solutions” he said.
Funding opportunities through the recently replenished GEF Trust Fund where highlighted by Hiroaki Takiguchi, Program Manager for Sustainable Transport at the GEF Secretariat. “GEF funding can support pilot demonstration activities and enabling conditions for investments in low-carbon urban systems and technologies, such as the testing of financial risk-sharing mechanisms” he said.
Opportunities for partnerships between the GEF and mulit-lateral development banks (MDBs) such as the ADB, IDB and the World Bank were also emphasized. “Working together, MDBs and the GEF, along with civil society and other partners, can play a key role in promoting and financing innovative transport solutions” said Bruce Dunn, Senior Environment Specialist from the ADB. “This partnership can build on existing commitments made by MDB to mobilize $175 billion for sustainable transport by 2020,” he said.
Members of the audience contributed to the discussion, raising important issues such as the need to address gender dimensions and social inclusion in transport sector planning and projects; the need to improve efficiency in the freight and logistics industry; and the need to consider innovations and future trends such as the role that mobile phones and communication technologies can play in improving transport efficiency.
The meeting concluded with an agreement that MDB’s, GEF and other partners should work more closely together to better promote sustainable transport solutions , including the facilitation of “south-south” learning exchanges between developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
A video of the event is available at: http://www.iisd.ca/videos/