Manila: Asia must scale up sustainable transport development or face
a bleak future of congested roads, pollution, ill health and economic damage,
which could have ripple effects around the world, a high level transport forum
in Manila heard.
“The choice is to let
unsustainable transport become entrenched with dire consequences for the
economy, quality of life, health and climate change, or to begin making the
changes needed for a sustainable transport future,” said Bindu Lohani, Vice
President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development at the Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
The third ADB
Transport Forum focuses on “Inclusive and Sustainable Transport,” providing a
platform for more than 400 global transport experts, civil society
representatives, development partners and senior officials from developing
member countries to discuss key regional transport challenges, share knowledge,
and brainstorm ideas to improve the sector.
Booming cities and rising incomes are fueling a dramatic
surge in vehicle fleets across Asia. In 1980, just one in 10 motorized vehicles
in the world was in Asia, but by 2030 the region is expected to account for
nearly half the global total. The epidemic of cars and trucks already weighs
heavily, with Asia’s cities now suffering the highest air pollution levels in
the world and traffic accidents in the region killing nearly 2,000 people a
day.
Without a change in
current transport development patterns in Asia, global carbon dioxide emissions
and fuel prices will keep rising, with grim consequences for climate change,
energy security, and economic growth.
Asia’s policymakers
are already responding, with investments in railways and other non-motorized
public transport, user friendly urban planning, and the adoption of efficiency
measures like fuel economy standards for vehicles. However, Asia’s needs are
vast, with estimated investments of $2.5 trillion required between 2010 and
2020 to help close the infrastructure gap in transport.
ADB has provided
financing, knowledge, and capacity building support to help developing member
countries scale up sustainable transport development. Its sector loans are
around $3 billion a year and growing, including assistance for bus rapid
transit systems in Bangladesh and People’s Republic of China (PRC), as well as
metro rail lines in Viet Nam.
It is also supporting
climate change mitigation and adaptation measures like the planned development
of inland waterways in the PRC to reduce road freight volumes; and cross border
transport initiatives, including regional railways. By 2020 lending for roads
is expected to be overtaken by investment in urban transport, railways and
other subsectors.