Blending resources and multiple partnership for translating policy research into low carbon transport project in Semarang City-Indonesia

Navigating a constrained financial environment while facing increasing challenges of congestion, air pollution and urban sprawl, Semarang is leveraging multiple partnership and blending the resources to create a collaborative environment for building sustainable transport and urban mobility in developing city. The work in Semarang began with research on the possible benefits for climate change and air quality—also known as the co-benefits—of improving the public transport system. The research employed an evidence-based approach that consisted of five main steps: 1) developing an emission inventory in the transport sector; 2) prioritising local policies and measures to reduce air pollutions and GHGs based on existing plans; 3) quantifying the impacts of priority policies and estimating the effects on for selected policies; 4) building a consensus across relevant stakeholders on follow-up actions; 5) translating policy recommendation into practical actions. IGES and collaborators identified several policy priorities and drawing upon the initial results, the research team developed three scenarios: 1) increasing the ridership of Trans Semarang; 2) improving driving behaviour along the corridors; 3) introducing low-emission vehicles and revitalising older vehicles. A policy dialogue was convened to led those involved agreed on improvement accessibility, introduce low carbon technology for bus fleets as well as pilots that focused to increase student ridership on the BRT (as students made up a large portion of the current ridership but often shifted to personal motorised transport as they grew older). <br />
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The second phase of activities in Semarang concentrated on translating policy recommendations into practical actions. In 2017 IGES began collaborating several partners on the development of guidelines for reforming the city’s BRT system. The guidelines advocated a “place making” approach that would create quality of space for residents. IGES also sought changes to behaviors and attitudes involving the BRT. Working with local and international NGO, a pilot activity was introduced, in particular, these activities focused on how to make public transport safer and encourage the switch from private vehicles to the BRT. Further, to promote the participation of the young generation in the design of a future public transport system through a brief essay completion on future sustainable transport system. <br />
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In parallel, IGES also worked with other organizations to conduct a feasibility study on low carbon technology for bus under a branch of the joint crediting mechanism (JCM) program focusing on city-to-city cooperation between Toyama, Japan and Semarang. The study recommended a retrofit program that would help support the installation of Hybrid Diesel-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG engines on the BRT. Trans Semarang, the operator of BRT, and another collaborating entity from Toyama city agreed to submit joint proposal to the JCM to subsidize the costs of the new engines. The proposal was approved and selected as a model project for the fiscal year 2018 by the MOEJ. In 2018, about 72 of the Trans Semarang buses have become hybrid Diesel-CNG Buses. In addition, the proposal on infrastructure development also approved and funded by Green Climate Fund. These initiatives brought multiple benefits to Semarang city.