[sustran] Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 6 Issue 3

[Sudhir]

Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) News Digest Vol. 6 Issue 3 - 23
March 2009

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!

Fourth Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum of the
Asian EST Initiative- co-organized by UNCRD

UNCRD with Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs (MLTM)-Republic
of Korea organized the fourth EST forum in in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The
participants adopted a statement for the promotion of environmentally
sustainable transport in Asia – referred as Seoul Statement

Read more:
http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/4th-regional-est-forum/index_seoul_statement.htm

The presentations can be accessed at
http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/4th-regional-est-forum/index_presentation.htm

Cycle-inclusive planning in Indian cities - Interface for Cycling Expertise

For the first time in India, a manual on designing infrastructure suitable
for bicycles in India is being readied, which would help  planners and
policymakers achieve bicycle-friendly cities and policies.

Read more @
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/Now-a-manual-on-designing-infrastructure-for-cycles/articleshow/4239780.cms

CAI Asia participated in the Low Carbon Cities Symposium at on 16-18
February 2009 in Nagoya.

The presentations can be accessed at
http://www.gcp-urcm.org/A20090216/HomePage and
http://www.gcp-urcm.org/A20090217/HomePage

 NEWSREPORTS

HEADLINES

Thailand: Bangkok Footpaths

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73271.html

Singapore: Too many taxi drivers

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73272.html

Vietnam: 16.4 million Euro for bus project in central highland city

 http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73275.html

India: State may tax cars to buy buses

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73269.html

China: Public transportation meeting opens in Taipei

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73276.html

China – Hong Kong: Tax break set for electric vehicles

 http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73248.html

Global: International Agencies Launch 50% Global Fuel Economy Plan at Geneva
Motor

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/02/28/452132.html

Asia: ADB funds study to develop clean, inclusive transport system for Asian
cities

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73251.html

* * * *

INTERESTING FINDS/SEMINARS

Climate change mitigation and co-benefits of feasible transport demand
policies in Beijing

Urban car transportation is a cause of climate change but is also associated
with additional burdens such as traffic congestion and air pollution.
Studies of external costs and potential impacts of travel demand management
help to define policy instruments that mitigate the damaging impact of
transportation. In this interesting research, the authors have analyzed
different externalities of car transportation in Beijing and showed that the
social costs induced by motorized transportation are equivalent to about
7.5–15.0% of Beijing’s GDP. Read more at
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73247.html

Efficiency in Sustainable Mobility Thematic Research Summary

This paper deals with the minimisation of the resource costs of a given
transport system and the maximisation of its performance. Costs considered
include those borne by the transport users and those by the transport
operators. The relief of congestion and reliability is a significant element
in the consideration of efficiency.

Read more :
http://www.transport-research.info/Upload/Documents/200902/20090224_132039_90921_TRS_Efficiency.pdf

Rulemaking to Consider the Proposed Regulation to Implement the Low Carbon
Fuel Standard

 In this rulemaking, the Air Resources Board (ARB/ Board) staff is proposing
to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by lowering the carbon content
of transportation fuels used in California. The regulation is referred to as
the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The LCFS will reduce GHG
emissions from the transportation sector in California by about 16 million
metric tons (MMT) in 2020. These reductions account for almost 10 percent of
the total GHG emission reductions needed to achieve the State’s mandate of
reducing GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Read more @
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73268.html

Economic valuation of transport related health effects Review of methods and
development of practical approaches, with a special focus on children

The main objective of this project was to develop practical approaches to
the economic valuation of transport-related health effects, including a
focus on children. The development of the approaches was based on two
reviews of relevant literature: one of recent epidemiological literature to
identify the health endpoints related to road transport for which sufficient
evidence exists for including them in economic valuation and another of
literature on economic approaches to valuation of health costs due to road
transport to derive guidance on the best way forward. A practical approach
for road noise, transport-related air pollution and road crashes is
presented; key issues regarding insufficient physical activity related to
hindering effects of transport on commuter cycling and walking are
discussed. The report also presents example calculations for the selected
health endpoints which are based on the developed practical approaches for
noise, air pollution and road crashes.

Read more @ http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-73277.html

2009 FTA Characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit for Decision Making

This report describes the physical, operational, cost, performance and
potential benefits of BRT's constituent elements both individually and
combined as integrated systems. Its intended audience includes urban
transportation professionals and officials involved in developing and
evaluating high performance transit systems, of which BRT is one
alternative. This report is the updated version of 2004 report.

Read more @ http://www.nbrti.org/CBRT.html

CALL FOR RESEARCH PAPERS

We in CAI-Asia are looking for good analytical/research papers on
Sustainable Transport and Air Pollution. If you would like your paper to be
linked/ published in the CAI website, please let us know…

* * * *

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Transport Asia 2009 Exhibition, Karachi, Pakistan, 28-30 March 2009

http://www.transportasia.com.pk/

 The 4th International Conference on Future Urban Transport, Goteburg,

Sweden, 19-21April 2009 http://www.fut.se/

Urban Transportation 2009, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 26-29 April 2009

http://www.iqpc.com/ShowEvent.aspx?id=166586

Sustainable Development 2009, Cyprus, 13 - 15 May 2009

http://www.wessex.ac.uk/09-conferences/sustainable-development-2009.html

Transport for a Global Economy -Challenges & Opportunities in the Downturn
-Leipzig Congress Centre

26-29 May 2009

http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/2009/Forum2009.html

eceee 2009 Summer Study, Côte d'Azur, France, 1-6 June 2009

http://www.eceee.org/summer_study/

Urban Transport 2009, Bologna, Italy, 22-24 June 2009

http://www2.wessex.ac.uk/09-conferences/urban-transport-2009.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".  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 is supported by the
Asian Development Bank through a grant from Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. SUMA is implemented by the Clean Air
Initiative for Asian Cities Center (www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia), in
partnership
with 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)
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