[sustran] Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 5 Issue 10

[sudhir gota]

Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest
Vol. 5 Issue 10
16 June 2008

SUMA News Digest is a free weekly 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!

Mass Transit and BRT planning two-day workshop / training course under SUMA
GTZ SUTP, WRI Embarq, ITDP, Indore Transport Services June 27 – 28, 2008
Indore, India
GTZ, Embarq-WRI, ITDP and CAI-Asia will jointly organize a 2-day workshop /
training course on Mass transit and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and related
measures in Indore on 27-28 June 2008 as part of the SUMA program. The event
will be hosted by Indore City Transport Services Ltd.
http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1163&Itemid=1&lang=uk

The training activities held during April 18-26, 2008 in Jinan has been
drafted into a report and is available online at
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72749.html

GTZ-SUTP Travel Demand Management (TDM) Specialized Training under
SUMA-Project (Chinese future trainers) in Singapore has been drafted into a
report and is available online at
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72734.html

GTZ Train the trainer NMT specialised course for Indian future trainers held
in Delhi has been drafted in a report format and is available online at
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72733.html

Title: Chinese translation of module 5e (Transport and Climate Change)

Module 5e of the GTZ Sourcebook on Sustainable Urban Transport for
Policymakers (Climate Change and Transport) has been translated into Chinese
by Xiaojia Bao and Yan Peng of the CAI-Asia China Project Office and
published today. The module has been originally written by Holger Dalkmann
and Charlotte Brannigan. It provides an overview of the challenges related
to climate change and transport, and describes measures to mitigate the
impact of transport on climate change. The document can be downloaded in the
links below from either CAI-Asia's or SUTP's website.

SUTP link: LINK (free registration required)
http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=314&Itemid=54&lang=uk

CAI-Asia link: http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72196.html


HEADLINES

CHINA: Beijing game for Clean Air Challenge 23 MAY 2008

In this news report, the authors have indicated the issues pertaining to the
air quality in Beijing. It reports that Wen-Xing and his colleagues measured
the concentrations of well-known air pollutants in Beijing in August and
September 2007, the same summer period the Olympic Games will be taking
place this year and reported that average daily concentrations of sulphur
dioxide and carbon monoxide were lower than the National Ambient Air Quality
Standard for China. This study was undertaken to measure the efficiency of
air pollution reduction strategies adopted by the government. Read More
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72740.html

INDIA: Kolkata is now India's pollution capital 28 MAY 2008

Rapid motorization and urbanization and its subsequent overload on system
has imposed some enormous load on Kolkata with it upstaging Delhi as the
most polluted capital city in India. In this news report, some of the people
have been interviewed and the repercussions of pollution on health of people
living on the cities have been summarized. Read this report to know about
this development…
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72744.html

INDIA: None for the road 29 MAY 2008

In this report, the author urges the government and pitches the need for
scaling up the charges for offences pertaining to negligent driving such as
drunken driving etc.. Under the new act in planning process, the driver who
drinks and drive and commits an accident, it will be constructed not as an
act of negligence but as a premeditated crime. Read more of this article to
know as to how accidents can be decreased with the help of tougher laws….
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72752.html

GLOBAL: Children with asthma affected by `safe` levels of air pollution 30
MAY 2008

A new research has reported that "safe" level of air pollution which we all
are striving for is still hazardous to the health of children affected by
asthma. This research reawakens and questions us to the fact that what level
of pollution is safe for us? What should be our goal and what new efforts
are required in our struggle against air pollution. Read More…
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72753.html

ASIA: Asia powers, US voice 'serious concern' on oil spike 8 JUNE 2008

If you assumed that you were the only one who got bugged by raising fuel
prices than you are wrong. Senior officials from the United States, Japan,
China, India and South Korea said in a joint statement after talks in
Aomori, Japan that they "share serious concerns" about the current level of
oil prices. They called on oil producing countries to "increase investment
to keep markets well supplied in response to rising world demand." Read
More…
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72757.html

ASIA: Soaring Energy Prices and Climate Change spurs calls for clean energy
financing 6 JUNE 2008

More than 500 key stakeholders met in Manila in an ADB forum to discuss ways
and means of addressing global warming by utilizing the cleaner fuels. It
was acknowledged during the meeting that the region is estimated to need up
to $6.4 trillion in new energy infrastructure by 2030 and unless there is a
move away from the dependence on oil and coal, countries will continue to be
vulnerable to price hikes in these commodities and will further contribute
to climate change. Read more to know more about the forum…
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72758.html

PHILIPPINES: Palace: Walk, bike, or carpool 8 JUNE 2008

In this news report, the government deputy spokesperson suggested Filipinos
reeling from high fuel prices to consider walking, using bikes instead of
cars, or car pooling. The mantra of energy conservation may boost our
chances of having clean air. Read More….
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72759.html

More air quality and sustainable mobility news at
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/propertyvalue-14783.html

* * * *
INTERESTING FINDS

REDUCING TRANSPORT CO2 EMISSIONS IN EMERGING ECONOMIES
By : S. SUNDAR & Chhavi DHINGRA

In this research paper authors research upon the issues of policy options
available for the developing countries to mitigate GhG emissions from
Transport Sector and their subsequent economic and clean air impacts. The
research has been modeled on the data sets extracted from the emerging
economies such as India and China. The paper explores all facets of
Transportation and their potential viability in improving the air quality.
Read More to know as to what options are available to the governments…

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72750.html

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF PEDESTRIAN WALKING BEHAVIOR
By: Winnie Daamen & Serge P. Hoogendoorn

Researchers from Delft University of Technology has recently carried out
experimental pedestrian flow research to assess the design of walking
infrastructure, support planning of timetables for public transit and to
identify the tools to aid the designer. The main objective of such an action
was to calibrate and validate the microscopic and macroscopic pedestrian
flow models. Interesting first results pertain to the way in which the
narrow bottleneck is used under saturated flow conditions, and the use of
the space (or rather, width) upstream of the bottleneck in case of
congestion. For the purpose of investigation the pedestrians were observed
using a digital video camera mounted at the ceiling of the building in which
the experiments were carried out. The resulting video footage was analyzed
using specially designed pedestrian detection and tracking software,
yielding detailed microscopic pedestrian data.Read More..
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72751.html

NEGOTIATING A POST-KYOTO CLIMATE REGIME: ARE WE HEADING TOWARD SUCCESS OR
FAILURE
by Miriam Lev-On

In its fourth assessment report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) is stipulating that there is a more than 90% probability that
human action has contributed to recent climate change and therefore
precautionary and prompt action is necessary. Taking this idea the author
access the post Kyoto period to reassess as to whether we are on right
track.  Read this interesting piece to know more about the post Kyoto
challenges and actions….
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72737.html

Fuel Efficiency Standards and Labeling of Vehicles in India – Indian
Workshop (From Archives)

Petroleum Conservation Research Association has taken the initiative to
develop fuel efficiency standards for India in association with Bureau of
Energy Efficiency. On December 2007, they conducted an International
Workshop where International and Indian experts had an extended interchange
of views and presentations.  Access the presentations to know as to what the
Fuel Efficiency Standards are all about and how it affects India.

http://www.pcra.org/English/transport/preschn.htm

* * * *
Tid-Bits

In this feature of SUMA newsletter on the occasion of World Environment
Day-2008, we have included a short poem from Deepak  Waikar
Climate Change

Poisonous gases are filling atmosphere
Creating havoc in ozone layer
If clean air becomes thinner and thinner
Climate change will be here for forever

Green forests are rapidly vanishing
Brown deserts are quickly expanding
If sand storms get stronger and stronger
Climate change will be here for forever

Enjoy this poem by accessing..
http://www.theinternetmarketinghelp.com/energyandenvironment

* * * *
MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Towards Carfree Cities VIII, Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering
Proximity 16-20 June 2008, Portland, Oregon, USA,
http://www.carfreeportland.org/

World Cities Summit 2008,
Livable and Vibrant Cities,
23-25 June 2008, Singapore,
http://www.worldcities.com.sg/

Fourteenth International Conference on Urban Transport and the
Environment in the 21st Century, 1 - 3 September 2008, Malta,
http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2008/urban08/

PODCAR City Sustainable Transport Conference,
14-16 September 2008, Ithaca,  New York,
http://www.podcar.org/ithacaconference/

UITP 2nd Sustainable Development Conference
Making tomorrow today
22-24 October 2008, Milan, Italy
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72425.html

Better Air Quality (BAQ) Workshop 2008
12-14 November 2008 Bangkok, Thailand
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72312.html

See more SUT events
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/propertyvalue-27089.html
See CAI-Asia's events calendar
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/propertyvalue-13577.html

* * * CONTRIBUTE * * *
To contribute articles, news items, or event announcements for the
next  issue, send an email with the complete details and URL source to
suma-news-owner at googlegroups.com with subject "FOR SUMA NEWS".

mailto:
suma-news-owner at googlegroups.com?subject=FOR_SUMA_NEWS<
suma-news-owner at googlegroups.com?subject=FOR_SUMA_NEWS>.
Past issues from March and April 2008 are found at
http://groups.google.com/group/suma-news

* * * ABOUT SUMA * * *

The Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) program of the Clean Air
Initiative for Asian Cities  ( www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia), Asian
Development Bank
 ( www.adb.org), EMBARQ-the World Resources Institute Center  for
Sustainable Transport      ( http://embarq.wri.org ), GTZ  Sustainable Urban
Transport Project ( www.sutp.org), Interface for Cycling Expertise (
www.cycling.nl), Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (
www.itdp.org), and United Nations Center for Regional Development (
www.uncrd.or.jp/est) is made possible through the generous support of the
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency ( www.sida.se).
SUMA works with Asian countries and cities to strengthen then
formulation and implementation of sustainable urban transportation
policies, specifically in
(i) Improving urban air quality by adopting AQM
planning in sustainable transport policies and promoting public
transportation,
(ii) Improving road safety by encouraging non-motorized
transport and public transport, and
(iii) Reducing transport's contribution to climate change
by adopting a co-benefits approach with urban air quality management.

RENOVATING SUMA

SUMA news digest has been released diligently from past 16 months by
CAI-Asia center. During the period there have been widespread changes in
mindsets of policy makers / people and CAI-Asia center received a lot of
support from its patrons. In order to revamp the news digest the CAI-Asia
center requests for support and suggestions from its patrons. Any suggestion
that you may feel may enhance the quality of digest is most welcome.  Please
mail your suggestions to sudhir at cai-asia.org or bert.fabian at cai-asia.org. We
hope that your suggestions may help us in our endeavor for achieving
sustainable transportation.


-- 
Sudhir Gota
Transport Specialist
CAI-Asia Center
Unit 3510, 35th Floor, Robinsons-Equitable Tower,
ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
Tel: +63-2-395-2843
Fax: +63-2-395-2846
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia