Parallel Session IV: Sustainable Transport

This session will focus on the development of sustainable transport, in particular with view towards an urbanized world, as by 2025, the planet will have 37 megacities (cities with a population of over 10 million) and by 2030, up to 60% of the world population will live in cities. This accelerated urbanization trend creates major challenges in many sectors from an environmental, social, and economic points of view.
Mobility is a key issue in cities, and therefore, the transport sector is at the crossroads of various city issues: the most important ones being economic competitiveness and attractiveness, energy security, and social equity. Sustainable transport is vital for maintaining a high air quality, reducing energy-use and greenhouse gas emissions, and enabling inhabitants to commute easily and according to their requirements. This requires policy-makers and transport planners to understand and incorporate the varying transport needs of women, men, and youth into policy frameworks.
Specifically, this session will explore the different tools to improve transportation, including standards to promote fuel efficiency, urban planning, public policies to ease traffic (zones with limited speed, parking pricing, etc.), development of public transportation, mechanisms to improve urban planning in existing cities, and others. The session,  will consequently address policy frameworks for such a shift, including how fuel-inefficient vehicles can be phased-out and highlight the potential, and also barriers, to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in today’s cities.