99496 Connections Transport & ICT Envisioning the Transport We Need Goals of the UN High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport Nancy Vandycke The world faces two urgent challenges: eradicating poverty through economic development, and tackling climate change. Sustainable transport is crucial to both. In August 2014, the UN Secretary-General established 70 trillion a High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport to make policy recommendations that “promote accelerated implementation of sustainable transport.”1 $ The World Bank is a member of the technical working group supporting the advisory group, which sees The potential global sustainable transport as a prerequisite for all countries to savings from energy attain competitiveness, inclusive and equitable growth, efficiency investments in balanced social and spatial development, and energy and urban transportation food security. And it is essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in support of the 2°C Scenario. Progress can be accelerated if all heed the calls for action on sustainable transport and development that exist today in a wide range of international agreements, conventions, and declarations. The Urgency of Transformation mental, and economic losses—an estimated aver- age reduction of 2% to 10% in country-level GDP The more than 1 billion people who lack access to associated with traffic congestion, pollution, noise, roads and transport services face a major barrier and road accidents. These losses arise largely from to social and economic advancement. Meanwhile, the costly, high-carbon transport systems based on more than half of the world’s population is con- private motor vehicles. Developing countries can centrated in urban areas; the share is rising but choose a very different development paradigm and often through widening urban sprawl, at unneces- avoid the long-term lock-in of unsustainable sys- sary transport costs. By 2030, world population is tems. Attaining sustainable transport in the coming expected to grow by about 1.1 billion people. And decades thus requires us to act on our vision today. already, transport accounts for about 64% of global oil consumption, 27% of all energy use, and 23% of world CO2 emissions. A 15-Year Vision Our collective global efforts have so far been insuf- The development agenda for 2015–30 has ad- ficient. The business-as-usual approach of much vanced a large set of goals to put rural, urban, and action to date has generated huge social, environ- regional transport on a sustainable path. 1 UN Press Release, August 8, 2014, www.un.org/News/Press  /docs/2014/sgal493.doc.htm. SEPTEMBER 2015 NOTE 18 The 15-year vision of the high-level advisory group of up to $70 trillion. The financial capacity of cities sees people and businesses throughout the world must be enhanced, with a key role for national poli- enjoying sustainable transport—universal, efficient, cies to provide enabling frameworks and technical safe, and environmentally friendly—connecting assistance for sustainable transport. Public sector them to jobs, markets, and social services: action can also lead by example, creating incentives for private investment. • In the cities—ample walking and cycling options as well as inclusive, safe, and resilient public tran- The high-level advisory group is encouraging new sit, all resulting in efficient, low-carbon mobility, multilateral development banks (MDBs) and bi- vastly reduced use of private vehicles and fossil lateral donors to follow the example of the eight fuels, and more balanced spatial development largest MDBs, which have pledged $175 billion over • In rural areas—accessible all-weather roads and af- the 2012–22 period toward sustainable transport. It fordable transportation options that connect men encourages all financiers to focus on regional efforts and women to economic and social opportunities and public-private partnerships. • In landlocked developing countries—efficient cross-border logistics and transport systems pro- Less than 13% of all environmental funding has gone viding swift access to neighboring and overseas toward transport, but the Green Climate Fund has markets through the most efficient modes now identified low-emission transport as one of four • And throughout the world—new routes and strategic funding targets. development corridors along with investments in Initiatives everywhere, will require greater interna- infrastructure, seamless intermodality, and digital tional effort on multiple fronts—international trade, and low-carbon technologies that support greater technology, planning, and monitoring. and more sustainable regional and global trade. To attain sustainable transport solutions, countries throughout the world must transform the way they The Way Forward conceive of, plan, invest in, and use transport services. International trade. Optimizing the global network for transport calls for international solutions. The needed investments in multimodal infrastructure and Proven Solutions Need Financing logistic services also require coordinated interna- Solutions to rapidly advance sustainable transport tional reforms of institutional, fiscal, and regulatory already exist for both advanced and developing arrangements. economies. In the developing world, quick action will Technological solutions. Technological innovation must avoid locking-in an unsustainable development path. be combined with the right policies and behavioral The July 2015 Third International Conference on changes aimed at reducing the demand for travel. Financing for Development, held in Addis Ababa, called for bridging the investment gap for sustain- Strong planning. Planning for sustainability must be able infrastructure, including transport, in developing based on evidence, strong public involvement, and a countries.2 Investments there on all transport account long-term view not subject to short-term politics. It for less than 40% of global transport investment. will require greater funding for capacity building. Domestic public funding must be enhanced with other Better monitoring. Commitments in the post-2015 sources, including the “user pays” principle, fuel taxes, agenda must be subjected to rigorous global track- innovative approaches such as land value capture, and ing, including a structured effort in data collection those that reduce demand for conventional transport. and analysis. Given the scale of the projects, invest- ment in those processes will be highly cost effective. Investments improving the energy efficiency of ur- ban transportation could ultimately lead to a savings For more information on this topic: 2 The conference outcome document is at www.un.org/ga/search/ https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/ view_doc.asp?symbol=A/CONF.227/L.1. sustainabletransport/highleveladvisorygroup Connections is a weekly series of knowledge notes from the World Bank Group’s Transport & Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Global Practice. Covering projects, experiences, and front-line developments, the series is produced by Nancy Vandycke and Shokraneh Minovi. The notes are available at http://www.worldbank.org/transport/connections SEPTEMBER 2015 NOTE 18