13.11.2020 - 09.12.2020
81st UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries - Sustainable Mobility (SC81)
Motivation
Transport drives development, links people, connects local communities with the world, creates markets and facilitates trade. In return, sustainable transport promotes a more sustainable development. Personal and economic needs of the present can thus be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
For these reasons, sustainable mobility is key to the 2030 Agenda. It states that "sustainable transport systems, along with universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy services, quality and resilient infrastructure, and other policies that increase productive capacities, would build strong economic foundations for all countries". The agreement contains five objectives that are directly related to the transport sector and seven other targets that are indirectly related to the transport sector.
Sustainable mobility offers enormous opportunities: improved road safety and less air pollution can save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, and carbon emissions can be reduced by 7 gigatons. The transformation to sustainable mobility requires a redirection - and not a significant increase - in infrastructure spending.
Course concept and objectives
The course concept follows the 'Avoid Shift Improve' approach, which is recommended by the high-ranking UN advisory group on sustainable transport as a useful framework for assessing traffic measures and for measures to support sustainable passenger and freight transport. Applying these principles will promote a combination of multimodal, collective and shared mobility solutions and sustainable transport systems. The concept of enabling is an important addition to the framework. Training participants will be empowered to pursue an integrated, holistic approach to political decisions and investment decisions. The benefits of engaging a wide range of stakeholders and funding sources are also highlighted.
Participants will learn from each other's experiences, present the respective national transport policies and develop sustainable processes and measures for their countries. Professors and scientists from the Technical University of Dresden and other renowned research institutions, as well as experts from industry and the German Environment Agency, will elaborate on approaches for holistic traffic planning and concepts for sustainable transport development.
Topics include an analysis of the current situation, assessment procedures and manuals, alternative fuels and engines, transport planning, regional planning, pollution and noise, fuel consumption and climate change, public transport, walking, cycling as well as methods for measuring access and the needs of the population in terms of mobility.
Participants will also develop an action plan for a challenge in their field of work, applying the course contents and taking into consideration inspiration received from facilitators and fellows during the course. This plan shall be implemented autonomously upon return and thus facilitate the transfer of the newly acquired knowledge into the day-to-day activities.
Participants successfully completing this course will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Sustainable Mobility.
Target groups
This course is aimed primarily at senior management experts with a technical background in traffic and urban planning. The training is suited for experts on a managerial level and decision-makers with tasks in environmental-related planning, coordination and management in ministries, authorities, local government and non-governmental institutions of developing countries, including newly industrialised economies. We expect a high motivation to explore concepts for sustainable mobility - as well as working towards implementing them. A first university degree (BA, BSc, e.g.), adequate communication skills in English language and the nomination by the delegating institution are mandatory.