The implementation of a sustainable, low carbon transport agenda will require awareness raising, capacity building and policy dialogue among a large range of stakeholders. Efforts being made in this respect but they will need to be continued and intensified to realize changes in policies and investment decisions and behavioral patterns by major transport stakeholders. It is important to develop a dialogue between transport community in developed and developing countries on policy recommendations. This to ensure that there is one coherent policy message, which takes into account differences between the various countries.
a)Processes
- Revisit the (Bridging the Gap Initiative’s) draft key messages and guiding principles on sustainable transport and assess the possibility to make this into key messages of the Partnership;
- Conduct dialogue with ITF on how to make use of the Leipzig process to develop policy consensus between developed and developing countries organizations on a comprehensive sustainable, low carbon transport policy.
- Update the review of draft negotiating text and suggestions to better incorporate the transport sector in a post 2012 climate agreement , (GTZ, TRL, UITP, Veolia Transport, and ITDP). It is important to inform stakeholders involved in the discussions and negotiations on a new post 2012 climate agreement on the implications of the draft negotiation text on future adaptation and mitigation efforts in the transport sector in the developing countries.
- Commission on Sustainable Development, Session 18 & 19, (UN-DESA, UNCRD). Transport is one of the sectoral priorities in the upcoming session of the CSD. UN-DESA, assisted by its regional commissions, will conduct a number of regional implementation meetings and expert meetings to review the current status quo of the implementation of Agenda 21 and relevant subsequent international agreements. In the case of Asia, UNCRD is supporting the preparation of a background document for the Regional Implementation Meeting in Bangkok.
- Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum in Asia (UNCRD, Ministry of Environment Japan) and Latin America (IDB, UNCRD). The EST Forum in Asia is in its 5th year and the EST Forum in Latin America will be established in 2010. The EST Forums which bring together transport and environment officials are an important platform for dialogue on sustainable, low carbon transport. Discuss the role EST Forum in Asia and Latin America can play in representing the governments in Asia and Latin America in the Partnership. The related country strategies which are being formulated for selected countries are an important step in translating a new regional policy consensus to the national level and trigger national level dialogues.
- Community of Practice (CoP) (CAI-Asia Center, ADB). As part of the further development of the CitiesACT Portal, CAI-Asia Center is developing online CoPs covering air quality, climate change and energy and transport. CoPs use various Internet-enabled media (such as email newsletters, newsgroups, web forums and other applications) to supplement discussions, information exchange and other functions as needed. CoPs bring together experts and practitioners from various organizations. CAI-Asia Center could host the CoP for the Partnership at least for Asia.
b)Events:
- Transport and Climate Change, 25th September 2009, Bangkok, ADB –ESCAP
- Launch Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport, 25 September 2009
- Informal side-event on Transport and Climate Change to the AWG meetings Bangkok, 1 October, Bridging the Gap Initiative
- Side event on sustainable, low carbon transport at the Congress on Sustainable Transport 12-14 October, Mexico city, Inter American Development Bank
- Towards Measuring GHG Mitigation Potential of Land Transportation Projects in the GEF, ADB-GEF, 19-20 October, 2009 Manila
- Side event AWG meeting Barcelona, Bridging the Gap Initiative, November
- Regional Implementation Meeting, 18th session CSD, 30 November – 2 December, ESCAP
- Side events COP 15, including ADB parallel event on Sustainable Transport on 13 December
- Transforming Transportation, Next steps for the Transport Sector after COP 15 in Copenhagen, 15 January 2010, Washington DC, ADB, EMBARQ/WRI, IDB
- Expert Meeting CSD 18, Korea January 2010
- ADB Transport Forum and Partnership Meeting, week 24-28 May, 2010, Manila Philippines
