Commission on Sustainable Development

Ninth Session

5^th Meeting (PM)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DIALOGUE ADDRESSES CONFLICT BETWEEN

TRANSPORTATION’S PIVOTAL ECONOMIC ROLE, NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Commission on Sustainable Development continued its series of multi-stakeholder dialogues on energy and transport this afternoon, with speakers focused on “public-private partnerships to achieve sustainable energy for transport”.

Unique to the Commission, such dialogues involve representatives of businesses, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, local authorities and the scientific community.  Government representatives also take part in the debate.  The dialogues have been devised as means of generating new partnerships, assessing progress and building consensus on possible action. 

Several speakers in this afternoon’s dialogue segment agreed that having become a global service industry, transport played a pivotal role in many economies.  However, fossil fuel combustion was the primary source of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in urban areas, and new technologies needed to be developed to address the problem.

Among the options proposed in the discussion were development of new infrastructures, introduction of international and local standards, development of public transportation, transfer of technologies to the developing countries and increased fuel efficiency.  To achieve those goals, several speakers said, international cooperation and a new partnership between the public and private sectors were needed.

A representative of the scientific community said that a zero-emissions transport system needed to be developed.  Alternative fuels and new technologies, such as fuel cells and clean combustion, could provide the bridge toward a more sustainable future.  Methane and other less carbon-intensive fuels could help achieve that transition.  New policies should be put in place, and new partnerships formed to ensure more sustainable transport and energy services.

A trade union representative said that today the transport needs of communities were taking second place to the needs of massive global corporations.  The demand for cheap transport had undermined efforts to ensure vital international industry standards.  The most blatant example of that was the “flags of convenience” system in the maritime industry, under which individual governments opened their national registry to anyone ready to pay.  Governments

must take control to create an effective global transport system, which should be regulated by new instruments.  The International Maritime Organization should be given the responsibility of setting international standards.

One local government representative suggested that purchasing power at the local level could be used to promote a broader partnership.  Local officials did not have “the red tape” that central governments faced.  Labour, trade unions, non-governmental organizations -– everybody had to find ways to work together.  Many technically feasible, high efficiency vehicles existed and more were within reach, given proper research and development support.

Several participants also advocated the return to such traditional methods of transportation as walking and bicycling, saying that engineering and planning measures were needed to make that possible, for modern cities did not have proper conditions for either.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, 18 April, the Commission will hold a multi-stakeholder dialogue on “sustainable transport planning:  choices and models for human settlement designs and vehicle alternatives”.

Background

The Commission on Sustainable Development met this afternoon to open a multi-stakeholder dialogue on public private partnerships to achieve sustainable energy for transport.  For background information on the Commission and its main focus during the ninth session, see Press Release ENV/DEV/563 of 12 April.

Statements from Panellists

ARVE THORVIK, of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, said the relationship between energy and sustainability might be most pronounced in the transportation sector.  Since transport linked supply to demand, market forces would continue to increase the demand for transport.  Efficient transport systems were needed to maintain economic growth, social welfare and prosperity.  In their current form, they presented a huge challenge to climate change, land use, congestion and equity in access. 

The development of the petroleum industry had given rise to the age of mobility, he said.  It provided the energy necessary for trains and ocean-going freighters to conduct global commerce.  While many other commercial and industrial sectors had moved away from petroleum, the transportation industry relied on petroleum products because of its convenience, reliability and competitive pricing.  Transportation consumed half of today’s world energy demand and would continue to account for two thirds of the projected growth in oil demand in the coming decades.  The number of vehicles worldwide would double in 30 years, with a very large portion of growth outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area.

Although petroleum was a finite energy source, reserves were currently being replaced at least as quickly as they were being depleted, he said.  With the introduction of new technologies, petroleum’s dependability could be improved.  In the near and medium term, petroleum would continue to meet some 80 per cent of the world’s energy needs, particularly the world’s demand for transportation energy.  The automobile industry had been able to significantly reduce vehicle emissions through the introduction of new technology.  In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, the same technologies that extended the life of petroleum resources also reduced those emissions, by burning less carbon or utilizing less carbon-intensive fuels.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development had initiated a worldwide partnership to find mobility solutions that made economic sense, while ensuring global sustainability, he said.  Ten global corporations were involved, with the mission of encouraging successful integration with governments and civil society.  The initiative looked at a wide range of relevant issues, such as technological advances, climate change and urban planning.  Energy producers were also working with policy-makers to reduce the environmental impact of energy use by transport.  Energy for transportation in the developing world would put significant pressure on the world supply of petroleum.  The developing world must use innovations in technology and infrastructure to create more sustainable transportation markets.  Transportation systems had evolved over time and would have to be changed step by step.  Profound change must occur, without depriving societies of mobility.

Speaking on behalf of the scientific community, NEBOJSA NAKICENOVIC, of the International Council of Scientific Unions, said that access to affordable and environmentally safe mobility was essential for sustainable development, because transport systems were part of human settlement patterns, employment and leisure activities.  Transport was also a major source of air pollution and had many other adverse impacts.  For that reason, there was an urgent need to rethink and understand the human need for mobility.

He went on to say that advanced collective transportation could, in principle, increase mobility, but the challenge was to encourage people to turn away from personal cars.  Revising current trends in motorized mobility would be a slow process.  Once a particular mobility pattern was established, it took a long time to reverse.

A zero-emissions transport system needed to be developed, he continued, which would lead to a shift to electric and hydrogen propulsion.  Alternative fuels and new technologies, such as fuel cells and clean combustion, could provide the bridge towards a more sustainable future.  Methane and other less carbon-intensive fuels could help achieve that transition.  New policies should be put in place, and new partnerships formed, to ensure more sustainable transport and energy services.

Turning to proposals for action, he said that basic research in sustainable energy and transport systems should be supported.  Also, measures for replacing some motorized mobility by other services and reducing adverse impacts must be assessed.  Effective transport planning was needed.  Also important was development and deployment of new transport infrastructures, zero-emissions vehicles and possibilities for effective emissions abatement. 

STUART HOWARD, of the International Transport Worker’s Federation of the United Kingdom, said that in the last two decades transport had become a global service industry.  The priority of that global service industry was increasingly to serve the requirements of its biggest, most powerful transport customers -- global corporations.  Economic globalization had been made possible by the extraordinarily low unit cost of transport.  International freight costs had been halved in the last 10 years.  The transport needs of communities were taking second place to the supply chain and logistics needs of the massive global corporations.  The development of ports used to be determined by government investment; now it was determined by the requirements of transnational shipping lines.

The demand of global business for cheap transport had undermined efforts to ensure vital international industry standards, he said.  The most blatant example of that was the “flags of convenience” system in the maritime industry.  That was a system in which individual governments made money by opening their national registry to anyone ready to pay.  They offered government protection for those who wanted to violate safety, environmental and labour standards.  There was a close link between transport safety, working conditions and environmental protection.  Most shipping companies did not want to operate in a substandard industry.  But, good companies were also trapped by competition and undermined by substandard operators.

Governments must take control, he said.  The world economy needed an effective global transport system.  A transport system based on continuing gross exploitation was not, in the end, a useful or sustainable transport system.  A transport system that simply followed market forces was not sustainable.  Transport, however, had become a globalized industry in a global economy.  New regulatory instruments were needed.  The International Maritime Organization (IMO) should be given the responsibility of setting international standards for ship registries, with the power to bar governments from operating a registry that did not meet standards.  National regulatory bodies should be strengthened and should continue to play a key role in enforcing regulations.

Speaking on behalf of local authorities, CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM-PARDO, Commissioner of Mexico City, said that the dominance of fossil fuel combustion vehicles was the primary cause of the rising emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in urban areas, including Mexico City.  A change in technology was needed to address the problem.  As many developing countries suffered from air pollution, national scientists and engineers should take part in the research, particularly in developing countries.  The purchasing power of the developing countries also strongly influenced the technology patterns. 

She went on to say that technology change was also a question of technology access, which was one of a number of North-South issues, including relations between poor and rich countries.  Among the ways of achieving more sustainable transportation were:  improving vehicle technologies and fuels; and promoting non-motorized forms of transportation.  Technology improvement was not the only way, however.  Conservation and efficiency were not always synonymous.  Purchasing patterns had a role to play, in that respect.

HARVEY RUVIN, County Clerk of Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, said that public leadership could facilitate the use of cleaner, more efficient fuels and vehicles.  It was possible to use purchasing power at the local level to promote a broader partnership.  Local officials did not have “the red tape” that central governments faced.  They served the basic needs of people, and that was the basis of their accomplishments.  Labour, trade unions, non-governmental organizations – everybody had to find ways to work together.  Many technically feasible, high efficiency vehicles existed and more were within reach, given proper research and development support. 

The recent actions of the United States President and some other leaders who were stepping away from the Kyoto Protocol produced an impression that those leaders “did not get it”.  Those present in the room needed to get the message across.  Even the Kyoto Protocol however, did not provide for sufficient cutbacks in greenhouse gas emissions.  The issue must be given “the moral equivalency of war”.  Nothing less would accomplish the goals. 

In the discussion, he had heard references to the need to eliminate the subsidies for carbon, he said.  It was not necessary to eliminate them, but to pass them over to renewables.  The subsidies now available for fossil fuel should be now available to the producers of renewable fuels.  That would require action at all levels of government and the private sector.  Strong market signals would help motivate manufacturer changes.

BEATRICE SHELL, of the European Federation for Transport and Environment in Belgium, said that transport was neither environmentally, socially, nor economically efficient.  It posed a huge burden on societies.  Transport had environmental and societal costs, while creating huge inequalities within society.  The demand for transport was growing even as it destroyed communities and was a major contributor to global climate change.  There were two ways to change the way in which transport was developing: strategies could be implemented to make transport more energy efficient; or policies could be adopted to reduce the demand for transport.  A sustainable transport system could only develop if those two dimensions were handled simultaneously. 

She went on to say that the transport sector represented nearly 30 per cent of total emissions of carbon dioxide.  That was unsustainable and must be reversed.  The growth in transport emissions alone could offset the emission reductions from other sectors.  Given the rapid growth in transport sector emissions, a wide range of supply and demand management policies were needed.  Technological innovation in non-motorized vehicles was also needed.  Motor vehicle use remained the biggest challenge to developing sustainable transportation systems in both developing and developed countries. 

Government, public agencies and companies should make use of a range of instruments, such as parking charges, road pricing and fuel taxation to internalize the costs of transport on the environment and the people, she said.  Revenues should then be used for investments in better public and non-motorized systems.  Governments should remove all public subsidies that benefit high-income private motorists at the expense of public transit passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.  Poor people paid more of their income on basic transport than the wealthy.

She recommended that the United Nations and national governments work together with all other major stakeholders to set up a formal process for the development and adoption of standards in five key areas, including global minimum standards for tailpipe emissions.  International funding agencies should provide technical support to enforce those standards.  She called upon the business community to apply the highest standards for both fuel and vehicles.  Stakeholders were asked to lobby governments to implement those standards. 

Responding to the comments from panellists, IMRAN AHMED SIDDIQUI (Pakistan), on behalf of the developing countries, said that transport played a pivotal role in many economies, contributing to economic and social development.  The participation of the private sector was crucial for resolving transport problems.  A sustainable transport system should include investment, technological capacity and responsible use of resources, taking into account the interests of developing countries and national circumstances. 

Governments had the responsibility for developing effective transport systems, and the private sector should contribute to those efforts.  The transfer of technologies to developing countries on preferential basis was very important.  The principles of Agenda 21 should serve as a guiding factor in achieving those objectives.  Institutional capacity should be developed in the developing countries, possibly through direction of official development assistance (ODA) from the developed world. 

He went on to say that environmental issues were of utmost importance, with industrialized countries being responsible for up to 47 per cent of harmful emissions.  An international fund could be established in support of sustainable technologies.  Transportation and energy issues needed to be addressed through an integrated and cooperative approach.

GUN-BRITT ANDERSSON, State Secretary for International Development Cooperation, Asylum Policy and Migration of Sweden, on behalf of developed countries said that investment was needed, not only in education and health, but also in transport and energy.  Throughout the debt crisis, investment in energy had been neglected or impossible.  Investments must be environmentally and economically sustainable.  That was a joint public and private sector responsibility.  The North had a role to play in providing official development assistance.  While congestion was a problem in the North, in the South better transport facilities were needed.  Micro-credit schemes had often proven successful and should be further developed.  Financial sector reform in support of rural and urban development was also important. 

Transport policies must be a catalyst for private investment on a large scale, she said.  For political reasons, many transitional economies had problems gaining access to financial markets.  On the other hand, investors would respond better when governance improved.  The need for an intensive dialogue between the public and private sector had been highlighted by the Secretary-General’s Global Compact with the private sector.  It would be interesting to see what could be achieved if public legislators worked with industrialists to work towards change, such as cleaner fuel resources.

Dialogue

A representative of the scientific community addressed the issue of public/private partnership, saying that exhortation alone would not have the desired impact.  Speaking from experience, the cultural differences within the private, public and academic sectors were enormous.  For people to work successfully together, they must have guidelines and good management.  Proper risk assessment and an examination of best practices were also important in the field of sustainable development.

A representative of the business community said that actions should be taken in the short term to encourage energy efficiency and the use of cleaner fuels.  Urban transport planning should take into account the problem of emissions.  An integrated approach should be adopted to facilitate a move to unleaded gasoline worldwide.  International clean air initiatives needed to be supported, as well as local solutions for local needs.

A representative of a Chilean non-governmental organization said that pollution problems were very serious in Santiago, Chile.  The economy of the country was growing at the rate of 7 per cent annually, but that was not leading to an improvement in the quality of life.  A large number of cars in urban areas was contributing to the problem.  While significant investments were going towards road construction and development of fossil fuel vehicles, alternative means of transportation were not receiving the same attention.  Government investment was needed to develop a public transportation system.

Representing local authorities from Chicago, a speaker said that for

10 years the city had been making efforts to introduce alternative fuels and modes of transportation.  Transportation policies in the past had closed many train stations and all but eliminated walking in Chicago.  Walking and bicycling should be encouraged.  That required working together with transportation engineers and local governments to remind people that walking was a real alternative.  Some recent research showed a 70 per cent increase in the number of parents driving their children to school, compared with the figures 10 years ago.  That was caused by the concern for children’s safety when crossing the street, and measures should be taken to address that problem.

A member of a trade union said that transport to work was an important issue.  A family of four commuting to work caused great energy expenditures, which resulted in significant carbon dioxide pollution.  Workers’ organizations were trying to change the situation, and trade unions were designing a programme promoting public transportation to work.  Increasing the number of people in each car could help reduce emissions.

A representative of the business community said that a change in behaviour was needed.  Providing companies with tools to record emissions was a prerequisite.  The development of tools and mechanisms often led to cost savings and was a key to sustainable management.  Also, partnerships were essential.

A representative of the scientific community said that regulations could be extremely effective.  As a result of regulation, there had been an increasing interest amongst motor vehicle manufacturers to move towards fuel efficiency.  In the bulk of developing countries, most vehicles were not fuel-efficient and did not have emission controls.  That did not mean that they were any cheaper.  Global standards should be established, perhaps by international agreement.

Another speaker from the scientific community said that a United States university was currently developing a technology to measure eyelid droop in truck cabs.  While that technology could be looked upon as a road safety solution, it was being sponsored by companies that were opposed to limiting the number of hours drivers could drive.  It was important to work directly with those affected by research to see that their interests were represented.

A speaker from local authorities said that in his city in England, cycle and walking routes had been developed.  Those routes were not only safer, but much more attractive.  The policy was to give preference to pedestrians over cars.  Another innovation was the creation of a virtual school bus, in which 20 children were gathered together and walked to school by one adult, rather than being driven by twenty.  Walking to school not only improved children’s health, but also instilled a good attitude about the benefits of walking.

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that there was a need to clarify the main target of United Nations action.  It should be made more difficult for industry to sell unsafe vehicles, but it was now cheaper for business to pollute the environment and pass the burden on to the planet at large.  The United Nations and governments must expose and remove both open and hidden subsidies to unsustainable modes of transport, such as trucks.  Putting large amounts of money into research and development for high-tech solutions was not necessarily the best use of resources.

A representative of the trade unions said that rail transport was some five times more fuel-efficient than road transport.  Equality was needed between modes of transport.  Some 60 per cent of surface goods were moved by rail, but only

4 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions were attributable to rail.

A representative of business said that most people regarded mobility as a fundamental freedom.  Vehicle maintenance programmes contributed to improving air quality.  Private-public partnerships would be mutually beneficial.  In Africa, a foundation had been established to inform communities about the potential hazards of discarding used oil.

A member of the scientific community said that developing more efficient technologies in the transport field would result in the growth of transport use, by as much as 30 per cent.  That was known as the rebound effect.  That did not mean that there should be no investment in energy-efficient equipment.  The question was, would new options be applied in the absence of stronger regulations or increases in fuel prices?  A consistent policy framework was also needed.  One element of that framework was the promotion of affordable public transportation.  Another was to refocus regulation on the most important pollutants, including fine particles and carbon dioxide.  

A representative of the business community said that it was more a question of human behaviour than finding technological solutions.  In the developed world the automobile was seen as the problem, whereas in the developing world it was seen as an opportunity.  On the regional level, people saw mobility not as a problem, but as the instrument against poverty.  In North America, freedom of choice was important, while in Europe people spoke of limiting the use of automobiles. 

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that States had withdrawn from housing and urban development sectors, which had left people to build housing at the peripheries of cities, trapping them into long-distance travel.

A member of the business community remarked that many of the proposed solutions, including public transportation, would rely on high-volume electricity production.  However, it was important to be realistic regarding the ability to produce the volume of energy needed.  It was necessary to re-evaluate acceptable forms of energy and see if renewable power could provide the required energy level. 

A local government representative from Brazil said that the cost of new technologies went beyond the capacities of what low income populations could pay.  For example, electric motors cost four times more than diesel. 

A scientist emphasized that the transportation needs of the developed and the developing worlds differed.  Development of transportation in the developing world was also promoting urban sprawl, which must also be addressed.  Another aspect of an increased number of cars was a reduced number of people willing to walk, which led to health problems.

A union representative from Denmark said that it was possible to reduce the negative effect of transport by reducing the number of international transit shipments.  In many cases, it would be better to produce goods nationally, instead of buying them from overseas.  That would also produce jobs locally.

A representative of the scientific community said that taking into account externalities was important.  Subsidies should not be enjoyed primarily by major energy producers.  Help should go directly to the users, particularly poor ones.

Another member of the business community said that no matter how good preventive measures were, accidents still happened.  Contingency planning and response around the world needed to be improved.  In that respect, it was important to ratify existing international instruments and conduct scientific analysis of the risks involved.  National contingency plans also needed to be developed.

A non-governmental organization representative said that frequent references to bicycling and walking in today’s high-level forum were impressive.  Not many cities could accommodate bikers and walkers, however.  It was necessary to retrain the engineering and planning professions to help resolve the problems in that respect.  Even such humble modes of transportation as walking could contribute to sustainable use of energy in the long run.

A businessman spoke about the role that natural gas and diesel vehicles were playing in transportation.  They were much more efficient than gasoline and produced fewer pollutants.  Over 20 per cent of buses in the United States ran on natural gas.  Such vehicles were also facilitating transition to the fuel systems of the future, including hydrogen fuel.  The natural gas industry was helping to create an infrastructure for such a transition.  Until solar-power or hydrogen became cost-effective, natural gas remained the cleanest fuel available.

A trade union representative said that HIV/AIDS was an occupational disease of transport workers in Africa, especially those involved in long-distance transportation.  Thousands of workers dying in the line of duty should be remembered.  A large number of those infected included the children of long-distance truck drivers.  Treatment of opportunistic diseases was still on hold because of the unavailability of drugs.  A key element in combating HIV/AIDS was education, and policy initiatives were also needed to address the problem. 

A representative of the scientific community said that in Beijing traffic congestion was a serious problem and the transport system caused serious air pollution.  Road construction often discriminated against bicycles and pedestrians.  In some cases there was no place to park bicycles.  Young people were buying cars.  Alternative fuel sources was also an important issue in China.

A trade unions representative said that social, economical and environmental issues were the pillars of development.   To achieve sustainable levels, participation of all stakeholders in the design of policies and programmes was needed.  The role of indigenous people should be an important part of partnerships.  Education was important for promotion of sustainable development.  Trade unions recognized education as a process by which workers and society could reach their full potential.

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that the volume of traffic must be reduced, not just emissions.  High traffic volume consumed space in cities and damaged historic cities as they tried to cope with volume.  People without access to cars were often marginalized.  In some communities, heavy traffic cut off people from their relatives, especially the elderly and disabled.  Traffic limited their networks of support and friendship.  The effects on children were also severe.  The fear of accidents was a main reason why parents were taking their children to school by car.  While emissions from individual cars were falling, people were buying larger cars. 

A representative of local authorities said that bus and truck manufacturers had important new technologies, which they should use even if it cost them more to do so.  She noted that the motor vehicle industry had not actively participated in the debate. 

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that international emissions from aviation were growing.  Aviation was one of the fastest growing modes of transport.  Governments should start talking with their civil aviation colleagues to ensure that they took appropriate decisions at the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting. 

A representative of business said that a number of innovations had been heard in the debate, both technological and human.  Everyone spoke of the need for partnerships.  The business community found it important to work on issues through partnerships with civil society.  On the one hand, the challenge was to put the goal of equal access to mobility for all at the top of agenda, while handling the fact that there would soon be some 1.6 billions vehicles in the world.  Trade must be increased and liberalized.  Globalization must have a human face.  Progress in  mobility must be used to alleviate poverty and contribute to sustainable development.

In her concluding remarks, the representative of the non-governmental organization delegation emphasized the role of the people who were found outside of vehicles -- the majority of the developing world’s population.  Despite being completely pollution free, the non-motorized mode of transportation was not sustainable, for many pedestrians became victims of traffic accidents.  There was a close link between transport technology and economics.  A dialogue regarding

traffic and emission regulations should be initiated as soon as possible.  The public should become more involved.

A representative of the scientific community said that the transport sector had achieved significant progress, and partnerships between various sectors of society were important in that respect.  Technology was somewhat slow in reaching the developing countries, but cooperation between the developed and developing countries could make transport in the developing world more efficient.  Greenhouse gas emissions needed to be reduced, and research into sustainable means of transportation should continue.  Non-efficient fuel should be phased out globally, and energy-efficient transportation should be promoted through the use of cleaner fuels.

A speaker representing trade unions said that major changes were required.  The International Labour Organization (ILO) had an integrated programme on the issues discussed in the Commission.  The participation of various stakeholders should be emphasized.  Institutional investments in such areas as rail infrastructure were needed, and partnerships between workers and business should be promoted.  Educating workers and the public was also important.  The fear of change was a barrier, but change was inevitable.  A dialogue with workers was needed, for they were at the forefront of change.

A local authorities representative said that cities around the world were interested in traffic issues.  National standards for the production of clean vehicles should be promoted.  Public leadership should promote cleaner transport and implement policies to downsize vehicle fleets and promote non-motorized modes of transportation.  Direct research and development funds should be provided for transportation and clean-vehicle technology.  It was also important to eliminate economic disincentives for cleaner transport and to ensure production of cleaner economic fuels.

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