MOBILIZING DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable Transport - What It Delivers 16
autonomous vehicles—which will be discussed later in
the report—are showing promise. The mere presence
of ICT-driven solutions does not mean that the old
problems will vanish, however, and any roll-out of new
technologies must be accompanied by comprehensive
awareness-raising efforts and policy frameworks.
Development of greener, more efficient propulsion
technology
As the international community confronts the climate
crisis, and cities around the world face unprecedented
levels of pollution, there are signs of a widespread
shift—slow though it may be—away from a fossil
fuel-based transport system. There are vastly different
approaches and rates of uptake in different countries
and regions, but as the Paris Climate Agreement
shows, the world agrees that action must be taken.
This fundamental change will accompany a parallel
global energy revolution. The question is not whether
the transport and energy sectors will transform, but
rather when and how.
Congestion and pollution—with accompanying twin
health crises of traffic fatalities and health impacts
of poor air quality—together with the climate
imperative, are major drivers toward clean, green and
smart transport technology. Effective technological
innovation always needs to be linked to sustainable
transport policies, because, as the Chairman of Ford
Motor Company said, “a green traffic jam is still a traffic
jam.” 27 Alongside new technologies, it is also vital that
existing technologies, for example those improving fuel
economy in cars, are more fully utilized across the globe.
Technology developments specific to the transport
sector will be discussed in Chapter 2.
1.3 THE ‘AVOID-SHIFT-IMPROVE’ APPROACH
The traditional approach to meeting the demand in
passenger and freight transport has been the provision
of additional infrastructure, but this supply-side oriented
approach has not delivered sustainable outcomes. As an
alternative, the concept known as ‘Avoid-Shift-Improve’
is built on the principles of sustainability, and the current
report posits that a nationally- or context-tailored version of
the approach provides an appropriate guiding framework. 28
Avoiding inefficient or unnecessary travel or
transport, where appropriate, e.g. by improved
and integrated urban planning, compact city form,
transport demand management, less complex and
extended supply chains, and e-communication
options (mobile phone use, teleworking),
Shifting travel/transport to improve trip efficiency
through most efficient or environmentally friendly
mode or combination of modes, capable of
meeting the travel/transport needs, and/or shifting
to off-peak travel, and
Improving the environmental performance of
transport through technological, operational,
regulatory or pricing, and/or infrastructure
improvements to make transport vehicles and
equipment and the provision of transport more
energy efficient and less carbon intensive.
The approach does not dictate that there must be
“avoidance,” “shifting” or “improvement” in any particular
instance. Rather, each should be considered and
advanced as means to enhance sustainability. The
model is most applicable to the urban context and to
Bogota Declaration on Sustainable Transport Objectives
In 2011, representatives of the national transport and environment agencies of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay met in Bogota, Colombia and outlined key priorities and objectives
in sustainable transport, adopting a working definition of sustainable transport as “the provision of services
and infrastructure for the mobility of people and goods needed for economic and social development, and
improved quality of life and competitiveness. These services and transport infrastructure provide secure, reliable,
economical, efficient, equitable and affordable access to all, while mitigating the local and global negative impacts
on health and the environment, in the short-, medium- and long-term, without compromising the development of
future generations.”
The Bogota Declaration also embraced the ‘Avoid-Shift-Improve’ approach to align transport more fully with the
principles of sustainable development. The signatories promoted cross-cutting strategies on enhanced road safety,
mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation of infrastructure and services to climate change impacts,
consideration to vulnerable users, allocation of adequate financial resources to sustainable transport services, and
good governance. The Declaration was bolstered by an explicit call on the participating countries to monitor their
progress against the enumerated objectives and to make voluntary reports on successes and ongoing challenges.