Sustainable Mobility Requires a New Policy Approach Today (Virtual Knowledge Exchange)

Hyper-digitalization of large segments of the world economy is transforming the way we communicate, learn, relate to one another, connect, and move. Our world is rapidly changing; with an abundance of new opportunities, come new risks and vulnerabilities that must be managed. As countries around the world undergo a fundamental reconfiguration to adapt, making the right policy decisions has become more challenging than ever. Transportation and mobility define the very wellbeing of our daily lives and livelihoods and therefore, rethinking and adapting transport policy must be prioritized.

The Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) partnership—a coalition of over 50 influential international organizations hosted by the World Bank—has stepped up to meet this challenge and has developed a new approach to designing and planning transport policy, with a set of tools that are adapted to this fast-paced environment.

As part of this effort, SuM4All collaboratively defined the ambition for transport around four reinforcing goals: universal (equitable) access, efficiency, safety, and green mobility. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement, these four goals provide the foundation for building a better future for our planet.

Week 1: The Imperative for a New Approach to Transport Policy ****

An introductory module that covers the key dynamics and challenges that impose a new approach to transport policy-making.

Rooted in overall trends in transport, speakers and presentations will discuss the key dynamics that are shaping the future of mobility, including globalization, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement, progress on data and technology, and new societal trends on governance, and equity and inclusion.

The implications of each will be reviewed in the context of what is needed to respond to these trends and how it impacts the design and planning of transport policy.

Week 2: Defining a Path Forward using Data ****

Once the need and imperative for a new approach to transport policy are established, how can data be used for improved decision-making in transport?

This module covers the definition of “sustainable mobility” and the power of data to track and monitor country performance on sustainable mobility, diagnose and prioritize transport issues, and rank countries on a global mobility scale.

Week 3: Crowd-Sourced Policy & Actions through Strategic Iterations ****

Once a country’s performance and pathways to improved mobility are established, what are the policy levers and measures that can be used to make progress towards sustainable mobility?

This module covers the first-ever global catalogue of policy instruments to respond to country mobility challenges. It will also introduce the thinking behind the selection algorithm applied to the catalogue to generate country-tailored action plans. ****

Week 4: Adapting to Country Needs & Reaching Targets ****

The experience of designing, testing, and implementing this new approach offers many lessons learned and inspires ideas for future engagement at the regional, country, and municipal levels.

This module introduces the experience of multilateral development banks, countries, and municipalities that have adjusted their approach to transport policy to respond to a fast-changing environment.

Finally, the module closes with ideas about the next generation of this approach and a call for collaboration.