[sustran] Principal Voices: Making OUR voices heard

[EcoPlan, Paris]

Dave Wetzel and several others ask how the thousand or so active
international transportation and environment experts that we are can make
our voices heard in this forum.  I have pondered this over the weekend and
here are a few thoughts for you on this:

 

1.      I have proposed to the organizers that they add my name to their
transportation component to ensure that the 'New Mobility Agenda' approach
is also fairly represented. bearing in mind that the other 'voice' that they
have selected as a representative of contemporary thinking and expertise is
Mr. Ellatuvalapil Sreedharan "one of India's greatest civil engineers, the
architect of the supposedly unbuildable Konkan Railway linking Mumbai and
Mangalore, and, more recently, designer of the Delhi Metro system".  I think
it is fair to say that this is one, primarily supply oriented, perspective,
but that is at best only half of the story.  My thought is that I can then
act as a relay to ensure that our collective voices, principal too, are
heard.



2.      "Public Debates". Over the next 12 months the sponsors will be
presenting a series of four round-table discussions in cities across the
world:  (1) Singapore, February 2005, on the environment; (2) Beijing - May
2005 - Business Innovation; (3) London, July 2005, Economic Development; and
(4) Mexico City, November 2005, Transport.  Details at
http://www.principalvoices.com/debates.html . I am not sure as to the
details of organization, but you are invited to "take part" and ask a
question as you will see at http://www.principalvoices.com/ask.html.



3.      Also as they put it: "FORTUNE have five tickets to give away for
this unique event. For your chance to attend, send an e-mail, including your
name and contact details, to
<mailto:stan_stalnaker at fortunemail.com?subject=Principal%20Voices%20-%20Lond
on%20ticket%20application> stan_stalnaker at fortunemail.com. Those selected
will be informed a month before the debate"

 

Otherwise, it all looks pretty hermetic to me, but that often is the case in
the world where the old mobility values continue to dominate.  (I will
shortly share a page with you on what I believe to be the main difference
between these two schools, these two ages actually of thought and practice
in our field).  But perhaps we can at the very least keep an eye on them,
even if they do not agree to any form of more direct participation, and
share our views here.

 

Your comments and suggestions are as always more than welcome.

 

Eric Britton

The New Mobility Agenda at http://newmobility.org <http://newmobility.org/> 

 

 

About Principal Voices:  Principal Voices is an international project aimed
at provoking discussion on some of the more compelling challenges
confronting our world today. Over the next 12 months TIME, FORTUNE and CNN,
in association with Shell, will be presenting a series of videos, articles
and round-table discussions. Themes covered will include the environment,
business innovation, economic development and transport.

 

About The Commons Open Society Sustainability Initiative: Seeking out and
supporting new sustainability concepts for business, entrepreneurs,
activists, community groups, and government; a thorn in the side of hesitant
administrators and politicians; and through our joint efforts, energy and
personal choices, placing them and ourselves firmly on the path to a more
sustainable and more just society.

 

 

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