Republic of Korea
November, 27, 2016
Vice Minister’s Remarks at Global Sustainable Transport Conference
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Excellencies,
Distinguished heads of states and delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor for me/ to address Global Sustainable Transport Conference/ on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea/ and as a member of the global community./
Humanity transformed its economies/ for the past century/ and it improved our lives dramatically./ Unfortunately,/ we have been facing the threats/ of environmental degradation/ and climate change/ because of that growth./ We also have emerging threats/ including worsening social inequality,/ terrorism/ and extreme weather events./ These are the issues/ we must address/ to ensure sustainable development of the mankind./
Excellencies,/
Transport connects people/ and connects cities./ It is a vital link/ that provides an equal access/ to educational, employment, and healthcare opportunities./ Unfortunately,/ transport is also the main cause of climate change/ accounting for 25% of global emissions./
Given its impact,/ a transport system/that is green and inclusive/ will be essential/ to reducing gaps in our society/ and delivering sustainable development./
Excellencies,/
In order to build such a transport system,/ there are three things/ we should remember./
First,/ we need to shift away from the thinking/ that building more transport infrastructure/ would mean more damage to the environment./
By improving access to public transport,/ we can cut down congestion/ and enhance mobility/ while reducing the transport’s impact on the environment./
To this end,/ Korea introduced a national transport card system,/ mobile platform for bus travel reservation,/ and inter-modal transfer centers/ to promote public transport use./
Also/ central bus-only lanes,/ provincial express railways were open/ to enhance the punctuality of the services./ All of these changes/ will boost public transport use in Korea./
Second,/ technologies should be at the center of our efforts/ to build sustainable transport./
Intelligent Transport System,/ Internet of Things/ and other technological innovations/ will make Korea’s transport system smarter,/ easier to automate,/ and thereby more equal and efficient./
Some of these technologies are being applied/ to the Korean expressways./ Korea successfully introduced the electronic toll collection system/ to its entire expressway network./ Drivers/ can also access to the real-time traffic information/ through their smartphones or navigations inside their cars./ Efforts are also underway/ to build Smart Highway/ to prepare for the arrival of fully autonomous driving./
Electric vehicles/ and renewable energies/ will help us reach the ‘zero-emission target’/ while not compromising mobility./
Third,/ sustainable transport is a goal/ that both the developed and developing countries should strive for./
Building a green and inclusive transport system/ may not be the priority for many developing countries/ given a more pressing need for economic growth. /
To raise the awareness/ and interest among the developing countries,/ support from the developed countries is critical./ It can be technological support,/ sharing of experiences,/ or funding/ such as “Korea Green Growth Trust Fund”, which Korea is raising in partnership with World Bank./
Excellencies, /
Sustainable transport/ is something that can be achieved/ when all the stake holders work toward the same goal/ and no country is left behind./
The Republic of Korea/ is contributing to sustainable transport/ by sharing our experiences and know-how./ Korea will continue such efforts/ until we realize our common vision/ of sustainable development./
Thank you.
Vice Minister’s Remarks at Global Sustainable Transport Conference
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Excellencies,
Distinguished heads of states and delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor for me/ to address Global Sustainable Transport Conference/ on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea/ and as a member of the global community./
Humanity transformed its economies/ for the past century/ and it improved our lives dramatically./ Unfortunately,/ we have been facing the threats/ of environmental degradation/ and climate change/ because of that growth./ We also have emerging threats/ including worsening social inequality,/ terrorism/ and extreme weather events./ These are the issues/ we must address/ to ensure sustainable development of the mankind./
Excellencies,/
Transport connects people/ and connects cities./ It is a vital link/ that provides an equal access/ to educational, employment, and healthcare opportunities./ Unfortunately,/ transport is also the main cause of climate change/ accounting for 25% of global emissions./
Given its impact,/ a transport system/that is green and inclusive/ will be essential/ to reducing gaps in our society/ and delivering sustainable development./
Excellencies,/
In order to build such a transport system,/ there are three things/ we should remember./
First,/ we need to shift away from the thinking/ that building more transport infrastructure/ would mean more damage to the environment./
By improving access to public transport,/ we can cut down congestion/ and enhance mobility/ while reducing the transport’s impact on the environment./
To this end,/ Korea introduced a national transport card system,/ mobile platform for bus travel reservation,/ and inter-modal transfer centers/ to promote public transport use./
Also/ central bus-only lanes,/ provincial express railways were open/ to enhance the punctuality of the services./ All of these changes/ will boost public transport use in Korea./
Second,/ technologies should be at the center of our efforts/ to build sustainable transport./
Intelligent Transport System,/ Internet of Things/ and other technological innovations/ will make Korea’s transport system smarter,/ easier to automate,/ and thereby more equal and efficient./
Some of these technologies are being applied/ to the Korean expressways./ Korea successfully introduced the electronic toll collection system/ to its entire expressway network./ Drivers/ can also access to the real-time traffic information/ through their smartphones or navigations inside their cars./ Efforts are also underway/ to build Smart Highway/ to prepare for the arrival of fully autonomous driving./
Electric vehicles/ and renewable energies/ will help us reach the ‘zero-emission target’/ while not compromising mobility./
Third,/ sustainable transport is a goal/ that both the developed and developing countries should strive for./
Building a green and inclusive transport system/ may not be the priority for many developing countries/ given a more pressing need for economic growth. /
To raise the awareness/ and interest among the developing countries,/ support from the developed countries is critical./ It can be technological support,/ sharing of experiences,/ or funding/ such as “Korea Green Growth Trust Fund”, which Korea is raising in partnership with World Bank./
Excellencies, /
Sustainable transport/ is something that can be achieved/ when all the stake holders work toward the same goal/ and no country is left behind./
The Republic of Korea/ is contributing to sustainable transport/ by sharing our experiences and know-how./ Korea will continue such efforts/ until we realize our common vision/ of sustainable development./
Thank you.
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