WHY JOIN THIS MISSION?
Total World Bank Group transport commitments in fiscal year 2014 amounted to $8.8 billion USD. There were 221 active Bank projects with total net commitments of $44.4 billion USD, representing 23% of the Bank’s total lending portfolio.
Rural and inter-urban roads remained the largest sub-sector, with 42% of World Bank Group lending in fiscal year 2014 ($3.1 billion USD). Urban transport is also a growing business for the Bank, with its financing share growing from 10% ($893 million USD) in fiscal year 2011 to 19% ($1.5 billion USD) in fiscal year 2014.
Since it was established in 1966, the Asian Development Bank has committed 21% of its lending portfolio to the transport sector. From 2005 to 2009, this percentage grew to 27%. Within the 2010–2012 lending pipeline, projected transport lending was $3.4 billion USD per year. Most Asian Development Bank transport lending has been for roads and, to a lesser extent, railways.
From 2010 through 2014, the Inter-American Development Bank approved nearly $11 billion USD in loans for over 80 transportation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.
To date, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has invested in 254 transport sector projects, representing €9.4 billion in cumulative disbursements, 146 active portfolio operations, 26% of its private share of portfolio, €12.6 billion in cumulative bank investments, a portfolio of €7.3 billion, €4.4 billion in operating assets, and 8% of equity shares.
WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS?
Rapid urbanization and motorization: Cities are expected to hold 5.2 billion residents by 2050. Over the next 20 years, more cars may be built than in the auto industry’s 110-year history.
Accessibility and affordability: An estimated one billion people in low-income countries still lack access to an all-weather road. In many cities, time lost to congestion erodes prosperity. High mobility costs cut the disposable income of the poor who often lack reliable and affordable public transportation.
Air pollution and road safety: More than 1.2 million people are killed and up to 50 million are injured on the world’s roads every year. Low and middle-income countries account for 90 percent of the deaths although they own just half the world’s motor vehicles. Urban air pollution, largely linked to transport, leads to the death of an estimated 800,000 people each year.
Climate change: According to a study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), transport contributes about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With motorization on the rise, that share is expected to grow dramatically.
Public transport systems: These systems are needed to provide urban populations with safe, secure, accessible, rapid, efficient, and user-friendly transport, and to reduce pollution, congestion, and accidents. Asian Development Bank support will include bus rapid transit and rail-based public transport systems.
Non-motorized transport: Integrated urban transport solutions should make provisions for non-motorized transport infrastructure, together with pedestrian zones and walkways, segregated cycle paths, and bicycle parking and rental programs.
Integrated urban transport planning: Urban transport plans should be integrated with urban land use plans to support more efficient approaches to planning urban expansion and redevelopment, limit trip lengths needed, make sustainable modes convenient for users, and optimize system integration.
Demand management: In parallel with improving public transport and non-motorized transport, cities need to use demand management to limit congestion and improve traffic flows by reducing the attractiveness of private vehicle use in busy urban areas. Options range from relatively simple systems, such as charging for vehicle licenses and parking fees, to more advanced computerized road-pricing schemes.
Traffic management: Traffic engineering and traffic management systems are needed to optimize traffic flows on the available urban transport infrastructure.
WHO SHOULD TAKE PART?
All companies in the transportation sector, as well as:
- Civil works/engineering companies working in the transportation sector
- Consulting firms, individual consultants, and training institutions
- Equipment manufacturers/suppliers
A unique networking opportunity!
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