Description

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on transport and human mobility. Almost overnight, both the systems of transport and assumptions of modern mobility – of its availability and accessibility – vanished. Cities, states and countries went into quarantine lockdowns to slow the transmission of the virus. Trains ceased to run, planes ceased to fly, and the streets were emptied of all users.

Months later, much of the world is exiting the most stringent lockdowns and entering into a “new normal” of face masks, social distancing, and new transport challenges. The pandemic’s effects have hammered the transport sector and the economy built around it. Public transport in many areas has been severely limited, making urban mobility all the more difficult. Commercial air travel is operating only a fraction of its routes, and in the absence of travellers, the tourism sector is facing an uncertain future. Governments worked hard to ensure that logistics and freight were protected to ensure the flow of essential goods, but even these sectors see difficult times ahead.

But conversely, the lockdowns also created new opportunities – streets were reclaimed by pedestrians and nonmotorised transport users. Urban dwellers experienced unprecedented clean air and clear skies in the absence of motor vehicle pollution. Very briefly, a new way of living in the city emerged.

Given these issues, ADB is going online to discuss the new future of the transport sector.

From 24 to 28 August 2020, ADB will be hosting a series of webinars which will bring together the expert community to discuss how they expect mobility under new normal conditions.

2020 was originally scheduled to be a year for ADB’s Transport Forum – its premiere gathering of experts, government counterparts, and stakeholders who meet at ADB headquarters in Manila to discuss the region’s transport issues, the applied and potential solutions to these issues, and the future of the sector. While the pandemic has made a physical meeting untenable, it has not lessened the desire or ability of the transport expert community to meet and discuss.

This will serve as the region’s first major event to discuss transport’s future in a world changed by COVID-19.

Objectives

• Provide an opportunity for representatives of the Asian transport expert community to develop a greater understanding on key transport issues in the new normal, including but not limited to: changes in urban transport, the cross-sectoral impact of limited transport, building resilience to future crises in transport, and environmental aspects to transport.
• Allow those working on real-world sustainable transport solutions such as policymakers, thought leaders, and practitioners working in the transport sector to discuss their experiences during the pandemic and their views on the future to come.
• Engage discussions between ADB and its developing member countries and partners on the challenges and opportunities facing the transport sector as it seeks to rebuild after a major pandemic.

Target participants

• Key decision and policymakers of government transport organisations
• Transport sector specialists from across the board, including those focused on technical, environmental and cross-sectoral issues
• Managers of assets and infrastructure from the public and private sectors
• Representatives and experts in transport-related technologies such as Intelligent Transport Systems, Mobility-as-a-Service, and other cutting edge technologies
• Development organisations and knowledge partners working in the transport space

Further information

Virtual Asia and the Pacific Transport Forum is open to the public but the organisers will be screening all registrants as this is a specialised event. Register now for the event by clicking on the link below. There is no cost to join this online workshop.

Connie SAYON (Ms)
Lead Event Coordinator
Asian Development Bank
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