Commission on Sustainable Development

Ninth Session

6^th Meeting (AM)

REDUCED AUTOMOBILE DEPENDENCE, IMPROVED URBAN PLANNING AMONG ISSUES RAISED,

AS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HOLDS TRANSPORT PLANNING DIALOGUE

The Commission on Sustainable Development, holding the last of its four multi-stakeholder dialogues on transport and energy this morning, heard speakers address a wide variety of issues related to sustainable transportation, among them reducing dependence on automobiles, providing for diverse modes of transport, use of innovative technologies and urban planning that creates walkable, livable and healthy communities.

The morning’s theme was “sustainable transport planning: choices and models for human settlement designs and vehicle alternatives.”  The Commission’s dialogues, devised as means of generating new partnerships, assessing progress and building consensus on possible action, involve representatives of businesses, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, local authorities and the scientific community.  Government representatives also take part in the debate.

One representative of a local authority said that the increasing dependence worldwide on automobiles resulted in numerous problems, among them traffic congestion, loss of mobility, long commutes and an unsustainable level of fossil fuel consumption.  Local governments should receive encouragement and financial support to reduce travel demand and improve urban planning by integrating work, shopping and community services with residential neighborhoods.

A non-governmental organization representative pointed out that conventional transport planning assumed that people would benefit from road transport services.  Unfortunately, even when such services were available –- and most of the time they were not –- the outlay for their construction hardly justified their use.  In some rural areas, government interventions had resulted in a negative impact on travel. Accessibility was fundamental.  Solutions could include footpaths and bridges, as well as animal-powered and human-powered vehicles.  Roads, motorized transport and airports should not be the first priorities.

Referring to a statement at a preceding meeting that the three “A’s” of energy were access, availability and acceptability, a business representative said that the three “I’s” of transportation were innovation, infrastructure and incentives.  It was necessary to introduce innovative technologies, achieve improvement of driving behaviour, improve logistics and take measures to overcome congestion and bottlenecks.

Another non-governmental organization representative stressed that public health should not be compromised by transport policies.  For example, frequently there was nothing accidental about automobile crashes, which were expected and

partly accepted as the cost of participation in a car-dependent society.  Some other negative consequences of current transport policies were noise, isolation of the elderly and the health and social development impact on children.  Children were increasingly dependent on adults to help them move about, for the street had become a dangerous environment.  Transport systems were usually modeled on the lives of the providers and designers, but it was necessary to provide for the needs of all community members.

Other issues raised in the discussion included: efficiency of the transport sector; concerns of the developing countries; traffic needs of rural populations; industry standards; and a transition to modern technologies.

The Commission will continue its work at 3 p.m. today, when it is expected to open its high-level segment and conduct a panel on financing energy and transport for sustainable development.

Background

The Commission on Sustainable Development met this morning to conclude its series of multi-stakeholder dialogues involving participants from non-governmental organizations, trade unions, the business and scientific communities and local authorities.  The subject of today’s dialogue is “sustainable transport planning: choices and models for human settlement designs and vehicle alternatives”.  (For further background information, see Press Release ENV/DEV/563 of 12 April.)

Panellist Statements

On behalf of business and industry, UMBERTO DE PRETTO, of the International Transport Union, said that he wanted “to give a taste of reality” to the members of the Commission.  On the way to the meeting he had enjoyed a cup of coffee – which had required the collaborative effort of some 127 companies in 18 countries.  The majority of customers wanted to get good products at an affordable price.  To provide that and sell their product, companies created pressure to increase transport efficiency, keeping the cost of transportation down.  That was the economic reality of the present and the future.

How could sustainability in transport be achieved? he continued.  A speaker had mentioned the three “A’s” of energy at a preceding meeting, and he believed that the three “I’s” of transportation were innovation, infrastructure and incentives.  The necessary improvements included:  introducing innovative technologies; improving driving behaviour and logistics; and eliminating congestion and bottlenecks.

Incentives did not imply subsidies, but rather creating the motivation for sustainable behaviour.  For example, economic incentives for transporting goods at night could help to reduce congestion.  Information guides on best practices would also be useful.  There were no magic wands, however, and the only way to find creative solutions was to work together.

CHELLA RAJAN, of the World Conservation Society, said that transport services had many negative impacts and caused numerous problems.  The use of gasoline for fuel was also a cause of instability within oil-dependent economies.  The entire infrastructure required to support transport resulted in such problems as urban sprawl and pollution.  Transport provided useful services, however, the demand for which was growing all over the world. 

Public transport in developing countries was often over-crowded and unsafe, he continued.  Those services in the developed countries were often inadequate, as well.  It was important to apply sound planning strategies to reduce the need for transport and to minimize its negative impact.  The proliferation of new roads should be reduced, while maintaining adequate access to urban centers.  Non-motorized modes of transportation should be encouraged, and public transportation should be further developed. 

It was important to implement policies and provide investments to encourage sustainable transport use, he said.  Technological developments could be introduced to improve the level of service and reduce the price.  Successful public transport systems should be examined and used as examples.  The existing barriers that prevented improvement should be identified, including high cost, perverse pricing and the absence of appropriate jurisdiction.  The joint efforts of the international community, local authorities and non-governmental organizations were needed to achieve those goals.  Transport planning should be integrated into broader planning efforts for urban centres.

JASNA A. PETROVIC, of the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia, said that economy, ecology and social cohesion were the interdependent pillars of sustainable human settlements.  The critical issues included job access, living wages, appropriate technology development, a safe workplace, education, community building and responsible land use. 

She went on to say that Central and Eastern Europe was experiencing severe social and economic problems, including unbalanced pricing structures, dysfunctional subsidies, widespread corruption and unfair access to energy and transportation services.  Many workers could not afford to buy a ticket to their workplaces, because they did not receive wages for sometimes months at a time.  Many could not afford to send their children to school on a daily basis.  Those peoples were victims of global financial masters, who had decided to liberalize the public sector.

The public sector had a role in providing transport at affordable prices, including public transport, she said.  Transport policies were short-sighted, inhuman and unfriendly to the environment.  She asked the Commission to evaluate the impact that liberalization had on energy and transportation services in transition countries, which had suffered from 50 years of communism and, in some cases, 10 years of war.  It was time for the international community to oversee the impact of structural adjustment programmes, promoted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which often demanded severe cuts in public services.

Central and Eastern European governments seemed to be imitating their western idols and were promoting the increased use of motorized vehicles, she said.  They justified ambitious road-building by saying that it would result in economic growth.  Once public transportation riders were lost to private vehicles, it was almost impossible to get them back.  Women were key consumers and users of household energy resources and services.  The majority were often the poorest members of society and relied on public transportation.  For women, the lack of sustainable and affordable public transportation was often a “final sentence”.

MARY ANN SMITH, an Alderwoman from Chicago, United States, said that today her city’s broad focus was on its quality of life in every aspect.  The increasing dependence on cars was wreaking havoc worldwide and had a serious negative impact on Chicago.  Traffic congestion, loss of mobility, long commutes and unsustainable levels of fossil fuel consumption were among the problems encountered by cities throughout the world.

It was necessary to stop favouring the automobile at the expense of alternative means of transportation, she said.  Local governments were in a unique position to effect land use, urban planning and local transportation choices, but their efforts were often thwarted by national policies and international investments that led to auto-dominated transportation, low-density urban sprawl and the decline of urban centres. 

She added that Chicago was not waiting for federal action.  It was trying to develop the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and improve the transportation system on the basis of smart growth principles.  Local governments should receive the encouragement, authority and financial support to:  implement land-use policies that reduced travel demand; and improve urban planning by integrating work, shopping and community services with residential neighborhoods.  All levels of transportation investment should focus on reducing transportation demand and providing for diverse modes of transport for walkable, livable and healthy communities. 

Mayor AUDEL of Abuja, Nigeria, said that the rapid growth rate in developing countries represented a great opportunity to establish sustainable and energy-efficient transportation and energy systems.  Abuja had a development authority, which had created a master plan for the territory, ensuring that all development was controlled and implemented according to the approved framework. 

Subsidies and government policies supported the oil, road and automobile industries at the expense of the communities, promoting less efficient patterns of behaviour, she said.  Local governments needed government assistance to develop alternative transportation.  The true cost of vehicle use –- which included pollution, roads and accidents -- needed to be internalized, and transportation infrastructure needed to be developed.

MOEKTI HANDAJANI SOEJACHMOEN, of the Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia and the Pacific in Indonesia, said that in the developing countries transport consisted mainly of head-loading and walking on paths and tracks far removed from infrastructure.  For example, a Masai woman in Kenya walked some

25 hours a week to get 20 litres of water for household use.  The needs of those people were largely unexamined in transport planning.  Conventional transport planning had assumed that people would benefit from road transport services.  Unfortunately, when transport services were available –- and most of the time they were not –- the capital outlay hardly justified their use.  In some rural areas, new situations created by government intervention had had a negative impact.  In Uganda, research had found that HIV/AIDS was being spread by truck drivers using the national road network. 

Accessibility was a fundamental aspect of transport planning, she said.  Transport needs should be researched.  Solutions would probably include footpaths and footbridges, animal power and animal drawn vehicles and human powered vehicles.  Roads, motorized transport and airports would be the last priorities.  The knowledge of local people about their transport needs should be recognized.  Governments had the primary responsibility to resolve the accessibility issue and should appropriate funds for the realization of accessibility goals.  Education should be a component of transport programmes.  Transport planning –- in both rural and urban areas –- must involve all stakeholders in the process. 

JUTTA STEIGERWALD, of the World Council of Churches, said that conventional transport planning in industrialized countries had not met the goals of sustainability.  It had also failed to deliver access to goods and services.  The traditional response to growing traffic and accessibility needs had been to build more roads, which had only exacerbated the problem.  In Europe, new public transport systems had been accepted and widely used.  Land use planning could improve people’s quality of life. 

She went on to say that public health should not be compromised by transport policy and provisions.  Frequently there was nothing accidental about road crashes.  They were expected and somewhat accepted, as part of the consequences of a car dependent society.  Road crashes not only killed and maimed, but also devastated families.  Pollution, noise and isolation of the elderly were some consequences of current transport policies.  Another major concern was the health and social development of children.  Children were increasingly dependent on adults to help them move about cities and towns.  The street had become a dangerous environment.  Transport systems were usually modeled on the lives of the providers and designers.  Transport must provide for the needs of all members of the community, both rural and urban.

CZESLAW WIECKOWSKI (Poland) said that historically the most sustainable transport mode was the mule.  Integrated planning and concerted action was needed by all stakeholders.  A good example of collaboration were the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for environmentally sustainable transport.  Of particular importance was the need to develop a long-term vision for sustainable transport.

HIROSHI SATODA (Japan) spoke about his country’s traffic policies.  Development of the road structure had led to great economic advancements, but it also resulted in pollution and environmental degradation.  To ensure environmentally sustainable transport, it was necessary to promote the use of low-emission transport and new technologies.  Rerouting traffic away from city centres could reduce the congestion. 

He went on to say that his Government was promoting environmentally sound technologies and by 2010 was going to reduce the level of emissions by 20 per cent, compared with 1995.  The use of hybrid vehicles should also be encouraged.  To promote conversion to less-polluting transportation, several initiatives had been undertaken to promote public transport and encourage the use of clean-fuel vehicles. Conversion from trucks to rail transportation and comprehensive city plans to reduce congestion were also among the measures taken. The Government would continue to implement domestic measures of that kind.

Dialogue

Bottlenecks were a major problem for business, a representative of a trade union said.  From the business point of view, one solution was to stop paying truckers while they were waiting.  In the United States, many truckers lost a significant amount of pay as a result of waits.   “Fatigue Kills” was the name of the campaign to set legal limits for working hours of truckers, including waiting time.  The burden of waiting in bottlenecks should not be passed on to the drivers.

A non-governmental organization representative from the United Kingdom agreed that the efficiency of the transport sector should be increased.  Reduction of the need for transport services was also important.  Now that a livestock health crisis was taking place in England, it became obvious how much transportation was involved in the business.  The local provision of goods and services should be encouraged.

A representative of the scientific community said that for the rural poor cities appeared to offer prospects for better employment, educational opportunities, entertainment and health care.  For the urban poor, those prospects often proved illusionary.  However, through advancements in information and communications technologies, urban advantages could be made available in smaller cities and rural towns.  Workers in information industries in small towns could work from home through the Internet, which would result in reduced transport demands. 

Another representative of the community said that there was a huge technological gap in the availability of specific modes of transportation for the poor.  In poor areas, non-motorized transport was the basic form of transportation and a transition to motorized transport was needed.  At the grass-roots level, it would be advantageous to integrate different types of technologies.  There was no reason to rely on fossil fuels and conventional transport systems that catered to urban transit needs.  Moreover, the poor represented a huge potential market for transportation services.  Automobile companies should develop technologies to cater to that market.

The representative of Sweden said that governments needed to be aware of the long-term impact of current transport policies.  They must also raise awareness on environmental issues.  Environmental assessments could help governments in that process.  The potential for integrated land-use planning, public transport and road planning should be explored to a larger extent and could reduce dependency on automobile travel.  Efforts to improve capacity-building in developing countries must also be increased.

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that politicians and investment bankers often made the mistake of linking infrastructure with economic growth.  There was no evidence that building infrastructure improved the economy.  In fact, it was just the opposite.  Cost-benefit analysis did not account for social costs.

A business representative said that her home State of California was known for its far-ranging transportation regulations.  Over the past year, public debate had switched from the emissions of heavy duty vehicles to performance standards.  That approach had been enabled by collaborative testing.  Proper governance was necessary if industry was to mobilize the needed investment for development.  Such governance included the rule of law and justice, integrity in administration, transparency, robust economic policies and legitimate authority to act.

A representative of local authorities said that it was cheaper to design sustainable transport systems within existing infrastructure investments.  Urban planning must reduce the demand for transport.  Places of employment must be closer to residences.  In many regions, local governments could not exercise control over land use policies.  Transportation infrastructure financing was controlled by the national government.  Local governments had little say, resulting in transportation systems that did not meet needs of the people.

A representative of trade unions said that human settlements must be designed that enhanced the quality of life for ordinary citizens.  She had been following United Nations initiatives with great interest.  The concept of “global public goods” represented the fact that humans needed a certain number of goods.   Global public goods were important for sustainable human settlements.  Ordinary citizens had a right to those goods.  Policy makers were obligated to ensure that their policies did not create obstacles to the provision of those goods.  The principles contained in the Secretary-General’s Global Compact should be incorporated into the work of the multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Speaking on behalf of non-governmental organizations, a speaker stressed the importance of a real dialogue among the stakeholders, which should be focused on the areas of agreement.  It was also important to consider the role of the United Nations in the development of norms and regulations and the provision of technical assistance, particularly for the developing countries.  The development of tailpipe emissions standards needed to be addressed.  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) should be playing an important role in city planning and replacement of outmoded city planning methodologies. 

A better approach to transport development and planning was needed, a business representative said.  Companies were prepared to make a transition to modern technologies, and they should be encouraged to do so.  All of the stakeholders had made important contributions to the development of integrated approaches in the course of the dialogue within the Commission.  Civil society had taken too modest a role in that process, however, and it should be encouraged to participate more actively.

Another non-governmental organization representative said that the majority of the world population lived in rural areas, yet their concerns were not being adequately addressed.  While most people’s mode of transportation in Africa was by foot, the Commission was devoting most of its attention to the problems of vehicle traffic.  Basic accessibility planning should be carried out to overcome the problems of poverty in Africa.

A scientist pointed out that when it came to developing countries, the traffic situation was different from what was painted in the Commission.  In Pakistan, for example, the livelihoods of millions of people were associated with rickshaw transport.  A project had been launched to tackle that problem, but no solution was in sight.  Several neighbouring countries faced a similar situation.

Speaking about industry in South Africa, a business representative said that the country was introducing cleaner fuels, which contained less sulfur.  Through engagement and continuous dialogue, achievable goals had been established to achieve continuous improvement.

Transport was a service, and everyone had a right to receive that service, a trade union speaker said.  Rational use of transport was important, and the trade unions of Europe supported the so-called “car-free days”.  The scientific community was demonstrating the possibilities of cleaner fuels, but they would not be fully integrated for another 10 years.  Electric power should be further researched.  Fewer automobiles and more public transportation were needed.

Another non-governmental organization representative said that it was not necessary to reinvent the wheel to meet mobility needs.  Thousands of non-motorized vehicles existed around the world.  It was necessary to improve the vehicles already developed and enforce the communities’ capacity.  The business, science and local authorities could join their efforts to make it easier for people to get newer-generation vehicles. 

A local authorities representative made several points from a developed country’s point of view, saying that it was important to reduce the need to travel and promote cleaner vehicles and rail travel.  Those policies were being implemented in his city.  An integrated regional strategy was also being developed in the United Kingdom.  Creation of more parks and green spaces in urban environment was also high on the agenda.

A representative of the business community said that up to now customers had selected the most economic alternative –- diesel engines.  Other alternatives might be offered, but some 98 per cent of customers had a preference for diesel engines.  For the past decade, diesel engines had been regulated in Europe.  He recommend that other countries follow those standards.  In the last 20 years, fuel consumption had dropped by some 50 per cent.  Diesel engines would continue to remain the most economic alternative for years to come.

A speaker from the scientific community said that transport engineers had seen transport as a matter of wheels turning.  While the wheel was an essential technological invention, it was only a means to an end.  Integration must take place within and between types of transport, the environment and land-use planning policies.  Each were different and required a different technical approach.  Transport planning must be systemic.  Addressing the problems of an ageing population in transport planning might provide some guidance to the wider aspects of such planning.

A representative of a non-governmental organization said that gender and equity in transport was a global problem.  Transport planning was based on the lives and needs of men.  The journey to work received far more attention than any other kind of journey.  The definition of mobility must be revised to reflect women’s lives and responsibilities.  There was urgent need to improve the understanding of women’s travel needs.  Women were more dependent on off-peak services.  Journeys on foot often went unrecorded when data was collected.  Governments should introduce participatory planning policies to overcome gender-blind provisions. 

A representative of the scientific community said that many cities did not have jurisdiction over land use planning.  He proposed the generation of adequate investments and the establishment of zoning regulations.  The use of cars should be discouraged, when possible.  The transport and communications sectors should be integrated to meet local goals. 

A business representative said that realistic proposals were needed to reduce pollution and traffic congestion and to create new jobs.  More needed to be done in that regard, including shifting truck traffic to railways and creating double stack container transport by rail.  Airlines should be persuaded to stop the practice of splitting up shipments over several different flights.

A trade union representative said that the question of energy and transport in decision making were linked.  Was the world a better place because he could buy a tomato from California, rather than from his neighbor’s farm in Canada?  Questions of sustainability were questions of how society collectively made decisions.  Decision making systems were needed to integrate the complete scope of human knowledge.  The concept of a “just transition” was a concrete plan and way of thinking about change.  If human settlement needed to be revised to correct past mistakes, the answer was in consensus decision-making and a just transition. 

A business representative said that public and mass transit systems must be promoted.  It was also important to modify human behaviour.  For modern people, SUVs had replaced the “shining armour” of medieval knights.  Mass transit should be given preference and be given a new image -– not for the poor, but for those who are environmentally conscious.

A trade union representative noted that American workers supported sustainable traffic patterns.  Whether they were recent immigrants or skilled workers, they spent hours getting to their jobs.  It was not by choice that they found themselves stuck in traffic.  Forces much more powerful than they were imposing the patterns of settlement.  Once workers were given a voice, they were happy to choose sustainable traffic options.  When the authorities in New York had invested in new train stations and fare cards, the workers embraced the new alternatives.

A speaker on behalf of non-governmental organizations said that in South America, people were facing important barriers.  Local authorities did not have much power to make decisions.  More regulation was needed to change the real estate and traffic patterns.  Knowledge about the options should be disseminated, in order to promote public transportation.  In the future, the automobile industry could face the same opposition as tobacco producers were encountering today.  Also, more local participation was needed to inform the stakeholders about the needs and the will of the people.

Speaking for local authorities, a representative said that something was definitely wrong -- massive transports of similar goods were going in opposite directions.  It was important to reduce the traffic demand by placing services and goods close to neighbourhoods.  There were many examples of successful practices around the world in that respect.  Public transport had big advantages over other modes of traffic.  Local governments could do more than propose policies.  They

could take action to develop sustainable communities and promote more responsible land-use and planning.

A non-governmental organization representative said that many of the comments in the debate had emphasized accessibility of traffic services and placement of services within reach of communities.  It was definitely necessary to re-educate traffic engineers and planners.  Pedestrians did not even appear as part of data input for traffic planners.  For that reason, information should be gathered to evaluate needs.  Environmental assessments were also important.  Overall, it was important to integrate various successful practices and initiatives.  Road safety was a key issue, and committed regulatory action was needed to address that problem.  Road safety should not be categorized as a solely public health issue.  In general, one concrete outcome of today’s discussion could be a global review of transport planning methodologies.

A trade union representative said that there had been much discussion on the social dimension of sustainable development and many solutions had been proposed.  He did not, however, buy the rhetoric that some solutions should be relegated as unrealistic.  The only reason why trade unions were at the Commission today was because people had dared to dream.  Trade unions pursued dreams with practical solutions.  Far too little progress had been made since 1992 on the issue of climate change and the planet’s survival.  Change was possible, but required different ways of making decisions.  There were different ways of implementing decisions.  Just transition would be the key, turning workers and their employers into allies.  The Commission had broken ground, yet there was little recognition of workers in the literature and the debate.

A representative of the scientific community said that the energy discussion had been a template for the transport discussions, not just because of the overlap of the sustainable development theme, but because the basic principles were the same.  Everyone wanted access for all people, with minimal adverse impacts.  While the economic issues were different between the developed and the developing world, sustainability issues were very similar.  The discussion had emphasized three tools to tackle the problems of sustainability and transport:  sustainable lifestyles; sustainable transport systems; and sustainable transport technology.  The scientific and related communities had much to offer in tackling those issues.  It was the first time that the scientific community had attended the Commission.  Scientists understood that technical solutions were not enough.  Human, financial and institutional issues must also be addressed.  Science had much to offer, especially in the discussion on climate change.

A representative of the business community said that he had not heard anyone oppose the concept of innovation.  He had heard little, however, about incentives in the discussions.  With great technological advances, the key would be how to implement them and accelerate the penetration of technologies and best practices.

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