This learning event facilitated by the Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank, the EMBARQ/WRI Center on Sustainable Transport, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, the Dutch Cycling Embassy and the United Nations Human Settlements Program focuses on the assessment of sustainable transport in the context of the Green Economy. The transport sector is of particular relevance to the green economy theme of Rio+20 because of its potential for wide-ranging environmental, economic and social development benefits. Yet, little awareness and experience exists at present on how progress towards sustainable transport can be measured, monitored and accelerated, through the use of indicators.

The impact of this learning event will be an increased awareness among the participants in this topic as well as a contribution to the formulation and implementation of a monitoring strategy for sustainable transport in the context of the green economy as called for in the Zero Draft Outcome Document of the Rio+20 Conference.

Transport is a key sector for sustainable development. The transport sector is rapidly changing, especially in emerging and developing economies. Since the WSSD in 2002, progress has been made in raising the issue of sustainability in the transport sector, including the development and pilot testing of the Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) approach, which now offers a more sustainable alternative to the current growth pattern of unrestrained private motorization. The transport sector is of particular relevance to the green economy theme of Rio+20 because of its potential for wide-ranging environmental, economic and social development benefits.

Application of green economy in the transport sector generally involves technological change, including efficiency enhancements, demand management and changes in consumer behaviour. In the case of the transport sector, changes in consumer behaviour can mean abandoning the use of private cars in favour of public transport or non-motorized transport. Demand management can involve a wide range of options including mobility based urban planning, intelligent transport systems, car sharing and limiting access to private cars through auction or lottery-based vehicle quotas.

The Zero Draft Outcome Document for the Rio+20 workshop speaks about the importance of measuring progress in the implementation of the Green Economy. A roadmap is proposed that contains indicative goals and timeline for 2012-2015; 2015-2030 and 2030.
This Learning Event will build on the efforts of the Rio+20 Campaign on sustainable mobility of the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) (see http://www.slocat.net/rio-plus-20) .

The objectives of the Learning Event are as follows:

a. Strengthen the understanding of participants on the contribution of sustainable transport to the Green Economy;
b. Equip participants with better appreciation of indicators that can be used to measure progress in implementation of sustainable transport at the national and local (city) level;
c. Demonstrate the impact of sustainable transport on traditional economic evaluation methodologies of transport policies, programs and projects.
d. Enhance understanding of participants on required institutional strengthening to facilitate and catalyse the implementation of sustainable transport in developing countries.

It is planned to have four main presentations in this learning event:

a. Introduction to sustainable transport and the green economy.

This presentation will be delivered by Holger Dalkmann, Director EMBARQ World Resources Institute on Sustainable Transport and coordinating author of the Transportation chapter in the UNEP Green Economy Report: Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication. (http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/greeneconomyreport/tabid/29846/default.aspx).
This chapter examines the role of transport in a green economy. Drawing on the Avoid, Shift and Improve strategy, it highlights the challenges and opportunities of shifting to a greener transport system. It also examines the various options and conditions required to enable such a transition.

b. Presentation on Definition, Indicators and Targets of sustainable transport in the context of the Green Economy

This presentation will be delivered by Michael Replogle, Global Policy Director and Founder of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). Michael Replogle is chairing a SLoCaT working group to agree on a definition of sustainable transport in the context of the green economy, indicators to assess progress in implementing, and possible targets to clarify what needs to be done in the time to come. The working group will take as a starting point for its discussions the definition included in the SLoCaT submission to the compilation document: ?Provide Universal Access to Safe, Clean and Affordable Transport?. This submission which can be viewed at http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?page=view&type=510&nr=241&menu=20 also contains a number of proposed indicators.

c. Measuring the impact of cycling ? case study of Rio de Janeiro

This presentation will be delivered by Roelof Wittink, director of the Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) which in preparation of the Rio+20 Conference has implemented a pilot project to quantify the impacts of a larger modal share for cycling in Rio de Janeiro. This pilot study is being carried out by DCE in cooperation with the city of Rio de Janeiro.

d. Presentation on Economic Analysis of sustainable transport projects ? case study of the Asian Development Bank

This presentation will be delivered by Tyrrell Duncan of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB?s Strategy 2020, approved in 2007, emphasizes environmentally sustainable and inclusive growth. In operationalizing Strategy 2020, ADB adopted in 2010 the Sustainable Transport Initiative (STI), which aims to scale up support for accessible, safe, environment-friendly and affordable transport. As part of this initiative, ADB is enhancing the economic analysis framework for transport projects to better incorporate environmental and social costs and benefits. This presentation provides an initial overview of the ongoing work.

e. Presentation on Institutional structures in support of sustainable urban transport
This presentation will be delivered by Andre Dzikus of UN-Habitat. In the face of a rising global population, continuing urbanization and the emergence of megacities, there is heightened urgency to apply solutions in the urban transport sector that contribute to sustainable urban development approaches and comprehensive responses to the impacts and causes of global warming while enabling mobility for the urban population, particularly the poor . UN- Habitat is focusing on the promotion of Sustainable Transportation policies that consider the multiple social, economic and environmental dimensions of urban transport and the institutional reconciliation of competing interests between different modes of transport and societal groups.

The main target group of this learning event consists of policy makers on sustainable transport at national and local level in developing countries, staff of donor agencies and NGOs supporting the formulation and implementation of sustainable transport policies, programs and projects.

The learning event will be facilitated by Cornie Huizenga, convener of the Partnership on Sustainable Transport (SloCaT). The methodology to be followed is to have a mix of presentations and facilitated discussion among the participants in this learning event. This discussion will be focused on the objectives of this learning event. The participants will also be able to benefit from documentation on the dedicated Rio+20 page on the website of the SLoCaT partnership which will contain supportive documents. The SLoCaT partnership is also in the process to develop a number of sustainable transport related green economy policies, practices and initiatives for the UNCSD website (http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/gedatabase.html).

The direct impact of this learning event is to raise the awareness of participating persons and organizations on the important role of sustainable transport towards the realization of a green economy and to explain potential methodologies and indicators for the measurement of the impacts of sustainable transport policies, programmes and projects.

At the same time the indirect impact of this learning event is also to contribute to the wider discussion on assessment and measurements of the green economy and its key sectors as called for in the Zero Draft Outcome Document for the Rio+20 conference.