Leverage on access to transportation, reduce impact of climate, World Bank tells nations

The World Bank has called on the international communities and partners to look at the need to expand access to transport for the benefit of citizens, in order to reduce the negative impact of climate and impact of the transport system.

The VP of infrastructure at the World Bank, President, CEO of the World Resources Institute, Ani Dasgupta, made this assertion on Tuesday, at the World Bank live event on Linkedin titled “Accelerating Towards Green and Inclusive Mobility.”

According Dasgupta, another key strength of transforming transportation is the ability to adapt and stay relevant in a rapidly changing global landscape.

He added that the event had been about bringing together great minds in this auditorium and also virtually to discuss challenges and also find practical and tangible solutions.

He stated that this year’s edition was no different, by looking at the agenda, with the similarities that the sessions over the next two days were all connected to many of the critical issues facing the whole world today.

Dasgupta revealed that the policymakers were aware of what was keeping the whole world awake at the moment, saying that these ranged from climate change, COVID conflict, supply chain disruptions, and economic shocks.

“And then all these crises facing the world today have profound impact on the global transport system and also on peoples and businesses that rely on the system. But as difficult as the current challenge may be, it is also providing a unique opportunity for us to rethink transport in a fundamental way,” he said.

He added that this might just be the impetus we need to make changes as a global community to tackle the challenge we face.

The CEO further explained that the theme of this version of transforming transportation was called accelerating towards green and inclusive mobility.

“To me, these two words, green and inclusive, perfectly summarize the dual challenge we face in front of us. We need to expand access to transport so that everyone can benefit but at the same time just equally reduce the negative impact, particularly climate impact of the transport system.

“In other words, we want to provide more people more mobility with fewer side effects. This may seem like a very tough question, but by no means impossible. Refreshing key innovative solutions are responsible policy makings and also innovative financial solutions. We know that the future is moving to the beach for the transport system and for people for business and for the planet.

“At the World Bank, we’re working really hard every day with our clients and partners to make this vision a reality. Our transport portfolio has been a decisive issue towards climate smart transport.

“And we’re determined to keep this momentum going in the last fiscal year 2022. We set a record in terms of transport sector lending at APR. $3 billion globally. And all of them feature components or interventions that are contributing to climate change mitigation or adaptations.

“Our priority is to help countries identify climate smart solutions that are relevant to a local context but at the same time pose a positive development impact. We achieved this by doing what we do best using data, using economic modelling, science and to inform decision making in a systematic way. But we cannot do this alone. We are proud that the partnership was built with other organisations and UN partners to help to advance sustainable mobilities.

“So the reason they launched a global facility to decarbonize transport. The private sector will also have a key role to play as we move forward in this transition. And we are collaborating closely with many of them to find solutions, but also to bring finance for a country that desperately needs this kind of additional finance for the system to move forward.

“Many of you know that I started my new role as the vice president for infrastructure just last month but I am not new to the transport sector. In fact, I have worked in this sector for decades. And one thing that I learned from my previous sort of position in transport is the fact that or any other aspect of our infrastructure business. Is that we don’t work in isolation.

“The shift in sustainable mobility will require close integration with other sectors, particularly energies, digital developments, and many artists. And I can guarantee you that cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration is a daily part of the work at the World Bank.

“The case for green and inclusive transport is stronger than ever. The good news is that this room is filled with remarkable thinkers, practitioners, experts and disruptive colleagues. That could help us to get us there.

“And I urge all of you to bring your way past this conversation. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and ask the tough questions, challenge yourself, challenge each other. I’m convinced that our exchange over the next two days is going to help us to cultivate some of the game changing ideas that we need to transform transportations,” he stated.