Transport is critical for 'green growth'

In a keynote speech at the XXIVth World Road Congress in Mexico yesterday, Carole Coune, secretary general of the International Transport Forum at the OECD, stressesd the role of transport for environmentally responsible development.Coune, who assumed office as the International Transport Forum's secretary general in August, said, "Transport is a critical factor in delivering green growth.
April 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
In a keynote speech at the XXIVth World Road Congress in Mexico yesterday, Carole Coune, secretary general of the 1102 International Transport Forum at the OECD, stressesd the role of transport for environmentally responsible development.Coune, who assumed office as the International Transport Forum's secretary general in August, said, "Transport is a critical factor in delivering green growth. The sector has to innovate to cut its environmental footprint, and new transport industries and transport infrastructure investment will be motors for growth after the crisis.Fast growing economies in Latin America and in Asia will determine in large part how transport's environmental footprint will evolve."Transport infrastructure investments figure large in economic recovery programs because of the number of jobs they create. But understanding which projects are most likely to generate growth in the long term, beyond the construction phase, is critical to making the best use of severely limited public funds," Coune said."It has a lot to do with freeing up constraints in the existing transport system that act as a brake on innovation and business development. It has alot to do with making urban areas more rapidly accessible from major entry points: airports, rail and bus hubs. It is about connecting workers and potential workers to employers," Coune told delegates to the XXIVth World Road Congress. She added that this is something transport Ministers will discuss in depth at the International Transport Forum's annual summit in Leipzig, Germany, in May 2012.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Importance of continued transportation investment
    May 2, 2012
    The US infrastructure network requires urgent attention - * T Peter Ruane. America's transportation infrastructure was once the "shining light on top of the hill." Major investments in a national highway, bridge, transit, airport, port and waterway system during the 20th century paid great dividends. The free and efficient flow of goods and people across the 50 states led to unparalleled economic expansion. The mobility and prosperity resulting from an interconnected infrastructure was a model for the world
    Read More
  • FEHRL Brussels event proves successful
    July 1, 2013
    The recent Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) Infrastructure Research Meeting 2013 in Brussels (FIRM 2013) attracted a large number of attendees, from Europe as well as further overseas. The event included a number of presentations on key road infrastructure topics, with major input also from other associations such as the European Asphalt Paving Association (EAPA). The plenary session drew high-level speakers from a number of National Road Administrations and European institut
    Read More
  • New road safety database for Latin American and Caribbean nations
    June 25, 2012
    A new road safety database is being developed for Latin America and Caribbean countries. The database forms part of a policy for the development of effective, evidence-based road safety plans. This drive lies at the centre of an initiative unveiled by the International Transport Forum at the OECD, the World Bank, the Ministries of Interior of Spain and Argentina, and the Ministry of Health of Mexico in Bogotá, Colombia. A Memorandum of Understanding to establish a new database covering road safety data for
    Read More
  • Futureproofing UK construction equipment resilience
    May 5, 2021
    Rob Oliver is the longstanding CEO of the Construction Equipment Association (CEA), the UK trade association for the UK construction equipment industry. Guy Woodford recently caught up with him to discuss the industry’s health and the key issues facing the CEA and its members in 2021 and beyond.
    Read More

Highlighted Content