Opening Plenary: Putting People First

Wednesday 25 May, 09.00: Hall 1

Session Outline

Quality of life is a multi-faceted concept, embracing prosperity, opportunity, the environment, health, safety and security. Transport has an important role in all these areas. The availability and prices of transport systems determine access to work, social, medical, educational and recreational opportunities. Transport costs also affect what goods are available, where and at what price, including such basic daily needs as food and clothing. Millions of people work in transport, and millions more rely on transport to move the goods and provide the services on which their jobs depend. The by-products of transport - including air and noise pollution, greenhouse gases and encroachment on natural land - affect human health as well as the environment in which we live. But neither the benefits nor the costs of transport are evenly distributed across societies. The net benefits of transport could be increased , and better distributed within and across societies and regions. Finding means to achieve this is the objective for the 2011 International Transport Forum. This session will set the stage for the summit by examining the key challenges facing transport

What are the prevailing economic and societal trends that mark our times and what do they mean for transport and mobility? How must the transport sector respond to these trends in order to better meet society's needs? Can improved transport services and travel options positively shape society's future?

Moderator

Melinda Crane, International Journalist

Opening Remarks

Jack Short, Secretary General, International Transport Forum Jan Mücke, Federal Parliamentary State Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Germany

Keynotes

Jeremy Rifkin, President, The Foundation on Economic Trends, USA Enrique Peñalosa, Director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy

Panellists

John Porcari, Deputy Secretary, Department of Transportation, USA Tim Leunig, Professor, London School of Economics, UK Robin Chase, CEO, Buzzcar, France

Staff Contact

Colin Stacey

Related Information Transport for Society. 2011 Annual Summit: Background Paper International Transport Forum Secretariat, May 2011 Cart or Horse: Transport and Economic Growth Tim LEUNIG, London School of Economics, UK. Discussion Paper No 2011-04, April 2011 Travel / Mobility Surveys: Some Key Findings Michel VIOLLAND, Administrator, Joint Transport Research Centre of the OECD and the International Transport Forum Statistical Paper 2011-2, Mars 2011   Ten Stylised Facts about Household Spending on Transport Jari KAUPPILA, Administrator, Joint Transport Research Centre of the OECD and the International Transport Forum Statistical Paper 2011-1, March 2011

Back to Programme Overview