Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 6 Issue 8 – 6 November 2009

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Nov 6, 2009, 3:43:09 AM11/6/09

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Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 6 Issue 8 – 6 November 2009

SUMA News Digest is a free monthly e-mail publication that features news, information, and events related to sustainable urban transportation in Asia.

*** VISIT THE SUMA PAGES: http://www.cleanairnet.org/suma ***

SUMA PARTNERS ON THE MOVE!

SUMA Summit 29-30 October 2009, Delhi India

Cities in Asia need to pay closer attention to sustainable transport strategies and investments as a way to address growing traffic problems and reduce air pollution and address climate change. This is the message that about 85 participants echoed in a two-day international summit that marked the conclusion of the Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia program.

The main objective of the Summit is to present and discuss the outputs and experiences of the SUMA program to Indian and Asian stakeholders particularly government officials. Drawing from the lessons in SUMA, the Summit also aimed to discuss future trends and issues relevant to promote SUT in India and the rest of Asia and develop a common position of the future of SUT in Asia.

As part of the SUMA Summit, a mass rapid transit/BRT planning training course was conducted on 27-28 October 2009 in Delhi. This was followed by a Technical BRT Site Visit in Ahmedabad on 31 October to 1 November 2009.

For summit presentations and additional information, please visit http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73602.html

SUMA Summit Pre-Event: Mass Rapid Transit/BRT Planning Training Course 27-28 October 2009, Delhi India

As a part of the SUMA program, GTZ and CAI-Asia held a two-day course on Mass Rapid Transit/BRT Planning in 27-28 October in Hotel Ramada Plaza, Delhi. The course was designed specifically for policy-makers, transport engineers, urban planners and academia.

Course trainers were from World Resources Institute (WRI-EMBARQ), Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP), German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, Urban Mass Transit Company Limited (UMTC) and Delhi Integrated Multi-modal Transit System (DIMTS).

CAI-Asia Center Joins Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT)

A new Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) was launched in Bangkok, Thailand on 25 September with the aim to actively contribute options and advice on the development of sustainable transport systems worldwide to inform the international climate change negotiations. SLoCat is pushing for reductions in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions, and urges that the climate change agreement to be reached in COP 15 in Copenhagen this December tackle this issue.

In addition to the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center, SLoCat includes the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank among many notable organizations. The Partnership currently has over 30 members.

NEWS REPORTS

HEADLINES

Bangladesh: Dhaka traffic at standstill 7.5 hours a day
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26232746-12377,00.html

Bhutan: First railway station to be at Toribari
http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=13713

Brunei: Decline in Brunei’s road accidents
http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/200910098099/Local-News/decline-in-bruneis-road-accidents.html

India: Not flyovers, adopt mass transit system: Experts
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Not-flyovers-adopt-mass-transit-system-Experts/articleshow/5113753.cms

Indonesia: Car free day reduces air pollution
http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=12799

See related study @ http://www.baq2008.org/stream2-dillon

Indonesia: Air quality station to be launched in November.
http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=12798

Lao PDR: Brakes applied to Lao student motorbike riding
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20091023-175384.html

Malaysia: Pushing the need for better public transport
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/10/26/central/4959271&sec=central

Philippines: Cebu City officials prioritize BRT study before LRT bid
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20091019-230865/Cebu-City-officials-prioritize-BRT-study-before-LRT-bid

Related News @ http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=515274&publicationSubCategoryId=107
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=515586&publicationSubCategoryId=107

Republic of Korea: Seoul air quality reaches OECD levels
http://english.seoul.go.kr/gtk/news/news_view.php?idx=6960

Singapore: Car usage on the rise
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_446950.html

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka launches ad campaign to help reconstruct northern rail tracks
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_091/Oct1254407501CH.html

Thailand: Private sectors urge gov’t to help promote logistics
http://www.siamdailynews.com/2009/10/26/private-sectors-urge-govt-to-help-promote-logistics/

Thailand: Southern line trains resume service
http://www.siamdailynews.com/2009/10/22/southern-line-trains-resume-service/

* * * *
INTERESTING FINDS/SEMINARS

Transport, Energy and CO2: Moving toward Sustainability - How the world can achieve deep CO2 reductions in transport by 2050

The new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Transport, Energy and CO2: Moving Toward Sustainability, looks at ways to enable growth in mobility without accelerating climate change. It finds that by shifting more travel to the most efficient modes, improving vehicle fuel efficiency by up to 50% using cost-effective, incremental technologies and moving toward electricity, hydrogen, and advanced biofuels, we can reduce transport CO2 emissions far below current levels by 2050, at lower costs than many assume. If governments implement strong policies to achieve this scenario, dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions by 2050 can be achieved.

This publication is one of three new IEA end-use studies, together with industry and buildings, which look at the role of technologies and policies in transforming the way energy is used in these sectors

Changing Course: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Urban Transport

Most Asian cities have grown more congested, more sprawling, and less livable in recent years; and statistics suggest that this trend will continue. Rather than mitigate the problems, transport policies have often exacerbated them. In this book, ADB outlines a new paradigm for sustainable urban transport that gives Asian cities a workable, step-by-step blueprint for reversing the trend and moving toward safer, cleaner, more sustainable cities, and a better quality of urban life.

Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels

This report by the Working Group on Biofuels of the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management provides an overview of the key problems and perspectives towards sustainable production and use of biofuels. It is based on an extensive literature study, taking into account recent major reviews. The focus is on so-called first generation biofuels while considering further lines of development.

In the overall context of enhancing resource productivity, options for more efficient and sustainable production and use of biomass are examined. In particular "modern biomass use" for energetic purposes, such as biomass used for (co-)generation of heat and power and liquid biofuels for transport, are addressed and related to the use of biomass for food and material purposes. Whereas improving the efficiency of biomass production plays a certain role towards enhancing sustainability, progress will ultimately depend on a more efficient use of biotic (and abiotic) resources (including for instance an increased fuel economy of car fleets), although a full consideration of all relevant strategies towards the end (e.g. changing diets high in animal based foods and reducing food losses) is beyond the scope of this report.

Read more @ http://www.unep.fr/scp/publications/details.asp?id=DTI/1213/PA

5th International Conference on Sustainable Transport (ICST)

The Center for Sustainable Transport of Mexico hosted the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Transport (ICST) from October 12 to 14 in Mexico City. The annual conference brought together policymakers, transport engineers, reseachers and city officials from Mexico and around the globe discussing issues on urban mobility and sustainable transport solutions.

This year, the theme of the conference is “Low Carbon, Competitive Cities”—with the aim to bring the most urgent issues on Climate Change, Sustainable Transport and Urbanism together for the development of more mobility-oriented public policies.

Visit http://www.congresotransportesustentable.org/ponencias5/index.php for conference materials and presentations.

Climate Change: Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error

The accounting now used for assessing compliance with carbon limits in the Kyoto Protocol and in climate legislation contains a far-reaching but fixable flaw that will severely undermine greenhouse gas reduction goals (1). It does not count CO2 emitted from tailpipes and smokestacks when bioenergy is being used, but it also does not count changes in emissions from land use when biomass for energy is harvested or grown. This accounting erroneously treats all bioenergy as carbon neutral regardless of the source of the biomass, which may cause large differences in net emissions. For example, the clearing of long-established forests to burn wood or to grow energy crops is counted as a 100% reduction in energy emissions despite causing large releases of carbon.

Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 6 Issue 8 – 6 November 2009

Kaye Patdu

Changing Course: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Urban Transport

Climate Change: Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error

Read more @ http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/326/5952/527