NOTES AND DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................................... 116
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Introduction
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs. “ (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).
Sustainable development has been a normative political objective for individuals,
governments and international organizations at least since it was put forward by the World
Commission on Environment and Development in their 1987 report “Our common future”,
also known as the “Brundtland Report”. This report made it clear that action is needed to
obtain sustainable development. The United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 provided an additional boost to action for sustainable
development. Today, two decades later, it is time to evaluate the process, identify the gaps
and renew political will and commitment to sustainable development.
In these years there are numerous high level political events where sustainable development
is on the agenda with an outlook to and potential impact on transportation. Among them
are the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development with transport on its
agenda in 2010‐2011
1
, the International Transport Forum that will discuss transport and
society in 2011, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD,
‘Rio+20’) in 2012, as well as the UNECE session in 2011 discussing sustainable development
and integration in the ECE region. The current publication serves as a background paper to
all of these events.
The overarching goals of the current publication are:
a) strengthen the broad horizon of policy setting for sustainable development, i.e.
without losing sight of environmental sustainability, look beyond it and treat
economic and social sustainability as equally important aspects in transport policies;
b) present the transport sector as one that brings also positive externalities, and not
only negative ones;
c) show‐case best and good practices in the UNECE countries and also this way
facilitate information sharing and the wider use of available knowledge and
experience;
d) outline challenges specific to the UNECE countries;
e) contribute to policy debate on solutions and needed measures, as well as facilitate
their faster dissemination and application for sustainable transport development.
This report on Transport for Sustainable Development in the ECE region deals with issues
and best practices in inland transport, i.e. in road, rail, inland waterway and intermodal
1
The UNECE supported this process through the background papers CSD18/2010/BP16: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Work in the area of chemicals, including Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and transport of dangerous goods and CSD18/2010/BP15:
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Work in support of Sustainable development of transport . This paper builds on especially
the latter background paper with a broader and more in depth analysis of issues in the ECE region.
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transport. It also outlines key UNECE contributions and reviews progress towards the
development of more sustainable inland transport.
Chapter 1 gives a brief review of sustainable development and its implications for transport.
Chapter 2 gives an account of general trends in the ECE region relevant to sustainable
transport development.
Chapter 3 explains transport’s role for social and economic sustainability by providing access
for individuals and markets.
Chapter 4 discusses the issues of affordable transport for the individuals and for the public at
large.
Chapter 5 deals with transport safety specifically road traffic safety.
Chapter 6 argues that transport security must be included in a comprehensive approach to
sustainability.
Chapter 7 reviews the most prominent element of sustainability, i.e. the environmental
issues in terms of local pollution and climate change impacts of transport.
Chapter 8 calls for more support to intermodal transport.
Chapter 9 concludes by assessing the current situation giving general “verdicts” and through
outlining the ways forward.
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