Excellencies,Distinguished Guests,Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honor and pleasure to participate in this roundtable.
The world is increasingly interconnected through physical and digital infrastructures that sustain ever-increasing flows of goods, services, people, ideas, cultures, and knowledge.
Connectivity and infrastructure planning require consistent and systematic attention. Most often they require multi-level planning across various government tiers and countries.
Improved planning also requires that infrastructure standards be harmonized and addressed to increase density and speed of connectivity. For example, differences in railway and electric grid transmission standards, as well as in legal and regulatory frameworks, persist in many regions.
At the same time, restrictions to trade in infrastructure-related services can hinder the benefits of further connectivity. Restrictions are particularly high in the rail and air transport services.
A piecemeal approach creates fragmentation and prevents interchanges among road, railway, seaport and airport systems to develop further.
A more integrated approach is needed if one looks at how fast transport is changing:
Also, new technological advancement in intelligent transport systems can greatly reduce the environmental impact of infrastructure construction and maintenance, improve traffic management, and provide higher levels of safety and security.
And moreover, if the Belt and Road Initiative fully embraces this approach, it can provide a valuable contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and boost smart and sustainable connectivity.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The 2030 Agenda provides a framework to advance global sustainable transport in the context of maximizing synergies and minimizing trade-offs. It underscores the importance of universal access to sustainable transport systems, and calls upon Member States of the United Nations to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all.
The Second Global Sustainable Transport Conference, planned in 2020 in Beijing, China, provides a unique opportunity to focus attention on the opportunities, challenges and solutions towards achieving many of these objectives. It is expected to indicate a way forward for transport to help achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.
Indeed, transport is a critical component of sustainable development. It is a key driver for poverty alleviation and social inclusion. It drives economic growth and trade. It connects communities, societies and nations of the world. Thus, enhancing connectivity through transport infrastructure is also critical. It is also a concentrated area for science and technology innovation.
The Global Sustainable Transport Conference will bring key stakeholders together from Governments, the UN system and other international organizations, the private sector and civil society, to provide a forward-looking vision to advance sustainable transport worldwide, while mitigating its climate impacts.
Today’s interconnected and globalized world depends on it.
I wish you all a fruitful discussion. Thank you.
It is an honor and pleasure to participate in this roundtable.
The world is increasingly interconnected through physical and digital infrastructures that sustain ever-increasing flows of goods, services, people, ideas, cultures, and knowledge.
Connectivity and infrastructure planning require consistent and systematic attention. Most often they require multi-level planning across various government tiers and countries.
Improved planning also requires that infrastructure standards be harmonized and addressed to increase density and speed of connectivity. For example, differences in railway and electric grid transmission standards, as well as in legal and regulatory frameworks, persist in many regions.
At the same time, restrictions to trade in infrastructure-related services can hinder the benefits of further connectivity. Restrictions are particularly high in the rail and air transport services.
A piecemeal approach creates fragmentation and prevents interchanges among road, railway, seaport and airport systems to develop further.
A more integrated approach is needed if one looks at how fast transport is changing:
- By 2030, the global annual passenger traffic will exceed 80 trillion passenger-kilometers—a 50 percent increase compared to 2015.
- Freight volumes will grow by 70 percent compared to 2015, and an additional 1.2 billion cars will be on the road—doubling today’s total.
- Transport alone already accounts for about a quarter of GHG emissions globally, and its contribution is growing fast.
Also, new technological advancement in intelligent transport systems can greatly reduce the environmental impact of infrastructure construction and maintenance, improve traffic management, and provide higher levels of safety and security.
And moreover, if the Belt and Road Initiative fully embraces this approach, it can provide a valuable contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and boost smart and sustainable connectivity.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The 2030 Agenda provides a framework to advance global sustainable transport in the context of maximizing synergies and minimizing trade-offs. It underscores the importance of universal access to sustainable transport systems, and calls upon Member States of the United Nations to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all.
The Second Global Sustainable Transport Conference, planned in 2020 in Beijing, China, provides a unique opportunity to focus attention on the opportunities, challenges and solutions towards achieving many of these objectives. It is expected to indicate a way forward for transport to help achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.
Indeed, transport is a critical component of sustainable development. It is a key driver for poverty alleviation and social inclusion. It drives economic growth and trade. It connects communities, societies and nations of the world. Thus, enhancing connectivity through transport infrastructure is also critical. It is also a concentrated area for science and technology innovation.
The Global Sustainable Transport Conference will bring key stakeholders together from Governments, the UN system and other international organizations, the private sector and civil society, to provide a forward-looking vision to advance sustainable transport worldwide, while mitigating its climate impacts.
Today’s interconnected and globalized world depends on it.
I wish you all a fruitful discussion. Thank you.
File date:
Thursday, Abril 25, 2019