[sustran] Re: SLoCaT Status Report on Rio+20 Sustainable Transport Voluntary Commitments

[Todd Edelman]

FIA's foundation is simply part of FIA's marketing apparatus -- it is 
the formal structure which FIA uses to support the continuing domination 
of private motorized vehicles in cities. "I was surprised" by your 
comment. Many big and controversial multi-nationals have a set up like 
this. Please prove me wrong and tell me that FIA Foundation is 
independent of its parent.

- T


On 06/23/2013 07:36 PM, Cornie Huizenga wrote:
> Dear Morten,
>
> Thanks for responding. With respect to your comments.
>
> The report we presented is part of our efforts to ensure that sustainable
> transport is properly integrated in the goal framework on sustainable
> development, which is currently being negotiated for adoption in 2015.  The
> target group in that respect are the governments. In the discussions that
> we have had in the last months have been quite a learning process for us.
> The initial emphasis from our side was to focus on the negative
> externalities of transport. We have been told time and time again by
> especially the representatives from the south that the emphasis in
> discussing sustainable transport should be on increasing access to goods,
> markets and services.  There are strong sensitivities when it comes to
> "restricting" the right to transport in any form or shape.  This leads us
> to the recommendation that we should support the development of transport
> infrastructure and services in the south but we should do so in a manner
> that ensures that it is leads to sustainable, inclusive access.
>
> We believe that the targets mentioned in Chapter 4 of the document are
> quite clear cut. The target on improving access speaks, for the urban
> areas, specifically about public transport, walking and cycling. For the
> rural areas where we currently are referring to access to all weather roads
> we are still looking for a more appropriate indicator. (*talking about
> access to public transport in rural areas is probably not appropriate*).
> For each of these three targets we will be developing in the coming months
> more detailed indicators, including a description of what current base
> lines are and what can be expected to be achieved at the global level.
>
> I was surprised with your characterisation of the Voluntary Commitments as
> "to spend quite a lot of money on staring at the problems and discussing
> them and hopefully develop some pilot projects". I feel that the combined
> VCs offer a good mix of knowledge management, capacity building, policy
> dialog - facilitation and financing.  While most of the VCs are for a ten
> year period I am encouraged to see that we already start to see change
> happening which is well beyond that of the pilot projects. A fuel economy
> standard for light duty vehicles, like the one developed with support of
> the Global Fuel Economy Initiative of which FIA Foundation is part is a
> good example of that.
>
> The purpose of this document was to give an update on what has happened to
> the Voluntary Commitments on Sustainable Transport, one year after Rio and
> thereby contribute to greater transparency and accountability for these
> VC's.  I expect that as we move on in time that such reporting will become
> more detailed and impact oriented.
>
> With respect to the impacts of motorisation, I believe that we have
> mentioned the health and economic impacts which are considerable. I agree
> that more work needs to be done on detailing these impacts on poor
> countries as well as poor and vulnerable groups in society (which are often
> the pedestrians). We are about to start work with our members to document
> and address the linkage between poverty and sustainable transport.
>
> On the suggestion for a manifesto. Being a membership based network, it is
> likely that SLoCaT will end up with positions that  are somehow middle of
> the road in the eyes of some. In that respect it might be better to develop
> such a manifesto with a smaller number, but like minded, organizations and
> then use this to lobby the transport and development comment at large. For
> such a manifesto to have an impact in the South where most of the
> motorization is happening it will be essential to ensure that it combines
> addressing the sustainability of transport with improving access.
>
> In our report, in chapter 1, we tried to explain that it is possible to
> have a different approach to improving access than the traditional road
> building/ vehicle enabling policies and that such an approach is
> economically also much more attractive.
>
> with best regards,
> Cornie
>
> PS - with respect to your references to FIA, it is important to
> differentiate between FIA Foundation and FIA. The VCs in the report are by
> FIA Foundation and not FIA.
>
> On Sun, Jun 23, 2013 at 11:11 AM, Morten Lange <morten7an at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello Cornie Huizenga
>>
>> Thanks for your work and for telling us about it.
>>
>> Below are my gut reactions. They might reveal that I lack insight into
>> complex international affairs, and might seem rude, but are meant to try to
>> address an important issue in a clear manner, not to discuss or criticize
>> persons or organisations.
>>
>>
>> I had a look at the press release and a couple of the 17 original
>> documents.
>>
>> What I read from it was this : Many big important groups, partially with
>> opposing agendas ( FIA springst to mind )  are going to spend quite a lot
>> of money on staring at the problems and discussing them and hopefully
>> develop some pilot projects.  I might have missed some important points
>> that would alter this description, but I frankly lost patience with all the
>> "wooly" text.
>>
>> I miss an identification of where the tough challenges lie. I miss
>> examples of  some measures that could lead us down a better path, possibly
>> in the form of "best practices" / success stories.    I  miss seeing the
>> large win-win options being spelt out clearly.
>> I particularly miss mentioning of the big unjustice, including health loss
>> and death that todays users of "soft" / active modes are experiencing,
>> because of "brute force" motorisation.
>>
>> I am trying to find the story to convey tro others like you ask us to do.
>>   But I am  having problems.  Perhaps it is necessarry to be this formal and
>> diplomatic and general, but I suspect more people than me get frustrated by
>> looking for the nedle in the haystack - the concrete things being
>> envisioned seem to be missing.  The FIA quote comes closest, to being
>> soundbyte.  But it says A, and does not go on to say B.  B would to my mind
>> be e.g.
>>
>> * We need to make the buyers of cars acknowledge full-cost procing is not
>> occurring for users of private cars, and develop steps to rectify that.
>> * It is time to mandate "stickers" on car adverts smilar to those seen on
>> tobacco packaging.  And why not also on the dashboard, and under the side
>> mirrors
>> * "Free" or lowcost parking is a subsidy with many bad side-effects
>> * Transport Demand management that rectifies some of the inequities
>> between active transportation and private cars should be pushed by big
>> international bodies or at least not be obstructed by them. A list of such
>> bodies off the top of my head comprises : ILO, WTO, IMF, UNEP, ECE, EU,
>> IATA, IEA, WHO. TDM involving both benefits and information and training
>>   could be encouraged in the form of tax incentives to workplaces and / or
>> employees.  Put your money where you mouth is. ( I believe there is such an
>> expression)
>> * It is time to have a very critical look on victim-blaming practices seen
>> when those utilising active transport modes are improportionallly held
>> responsible for injuries sustained in collisions with cars and other
>> vehicles.
>>
>>
>> I would furthermore think that a common, short manifesto on problems and
>> possible solutions (possibly using some of the above),  should be drafted
>> very soon.  If e.g. the FIA would refrain from underwriting some parts, so
>> be it. Work out a near-consensus, or 75% consensus, and make the possible
>> difference of opinion come out in daylight, but decide to continue working
>> together, and discuss the differences in opinion now and then.
>>
>>
>> Again I apologise for the bluntness, and that I should speak out in spite
>> of my lack of familiarity with the diplomatic and high level deliberations.
>>
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Morten Lange
>>
>> --
>> Morten Lange, Reykjavík
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Thu, 20/6/13, Cornie Huizenga <cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>   Subject: [sustran] SLoCaT Status Report on Rio+20 Sustainable Transport
>> Voluntary Commitments
>>   To: "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" <
>> sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
>>   Date: Thursday, 20 June, 2013, 11:44
>>
>>   Dear All,
>>
>>   We are happy to announce the first update report on the
>>   Rio+20 Voluntary
>>   Commitments on Sustainable Transport.
>>
>>
>>   We have created a special section for the report on the
>>   SLoCaT website, *
>>   www.slocat.net/Rio20-VC. *If you tweet about the report
>>   please use
>>    #Rio20transport in our tweets.
>>
>>
>>   On the website we have also a press release in English,
>>   Chinese, German,
>>   Spanish and Portugese (
>>   http://slocat.net/press-release-rio20-sustainable-transport-status-report
>> )
>>
>>
>>   We would greatly appreciate your help in the wide
>>   distribution of the
>>   report and the press release.
>>
>>
>>   Thanks a lot.
>>
>>
>>   Cornie
>>
>>   --
>>   Cornie Huizenga
>>   Joint Convener, SLoCaT Partnership
>>   317 Xianxia Road, B 1811
>>   200051 Shanghai, China
>>
>>   www.slocat.net
>>   @SLOCATcornie
>>   +8613901949332
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>>   SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of
>>   people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a
>>   focus on developing countries (the 'Global South').
>>
>>
>


-- 
Todd Edelman
SLOW Factory

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