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LEIPZIG, Germany, May 30 /PRNewswire/ —

- The World’s Largest Transport Summit Released its Findings, a Set of
Key Messages, in Leipzig on Friday at the Conclusion of the Three Day
International Transport Forum

ITF President and Finnish Minister of Transport, Anu Vehviläinen,
presented the Key Messages of the three-day International Transport Forum on
“Transport and Energy: the Challenge of Climate Change” in Leipzig on Friday.
ITF President Mrs. Vehviläinen said, “There was a productive and vivid
exchange among the different Forum Members. While there were different
assumptions and preconditions in some countries, in many regards, interests
were converging and similarities were revealed.”
Secretary General Jack Short highlighted the growing challenge to find
the right balance between supporting the economic drivers of trade and
mobility and reducing transport’s energy intensity and emissions. Regarding
the sector’s overwhelming dependence on oil (95% of transport’s energy is
based on oil) the worldwide growth of transport and the necessity to mitigate
greenhouse gas emissions of the transport sector, Short called for a
low-carbon transport system “as soon as possible”.

The Key Messages of the International Transport Forum call for a
strategic approach to meeting the energy and climate change challenge, based
on a package of policy measures. This includes technology development,
strengthened research into new technology and fuels, increased use of
information technology and integrated mobility management as well as a wide
variety of non-technology policy tools with potential to improve economic
efficiency and reduce emissions.

These latter measures should encourage behaviour change and include
improved organisation and telematics to optimise the modes, more effective
use of rail, inland waterway and short sea shipping for freight transport,
enhanced promotion and service quality of public transport and rail, as well
as support for non-motorised means of travel such as walking and cycling,
especially in cities, measures to manage traffic demand and reduce congestion
as well as pricing mechanisms to encourage behavioural change and ensure that
externalities are taken into account.

Transport must “urgently” address the long-term supply of energy. In the
shorter term, opportunities should be seized to promote the significant
fuel-efficiency improvements to existing technology, attained through
combinations of instruments such as regulations, economic and fiscal
incentives and information campaigns designed to encourage consumers to opt
for the most fuel efficient technologies. As one example, training in
eco driving and equipment of vehicles with feedback instrumentation to
support fuel-efficient driving has been shown to be a “promising way
forward”. “Transport policy must give incentives for more energy-efficient
behaviour,” stressed the ITF Secretary General.

Also biofuels can play a useful role in reducing CO2 emissions. But
production of biofuels must be pursued in an environmentally, economically
and socially sustainable way.

In the future, transport ministers want to intensify exchange with
scientists and, particularly, other social interest groups. “At the Forum we
have initiated an important dialogue which we want to continue. This will
allow us to find ways to reduce transport and traffic’s dependence on oil and
reduce climate damaging emissions,” Vehviläinen said.

At the 2008 International Transport Forum were representatives from 53
countries, amongst them for the first time a delegation from India. Almost
900 participants as well as more than 100 journalists from 12 countries
followed the three-day conference with high-ranking keynote speakers,
workshops, panels, an exhibition, and the Open Forum.

“Transport and Globalization” will be the theme of the next International
Transport Forum, 27 to 29 May 2009 in Leipzig.

Michael Zirpel
Head of Communications ITF
Tel. 33-1-45-24-95-96
Email: michael.zirpel@oecd.org

International Transport Forum