SuM4All raises the bar at IX consortium virtual meeting
Sustainable Mobility for All, which recently received the INF VPU Award, virtually convened its members on June 2, 2020 for its 9th biannual Consortium Meeting. The event, dubbed the “New Normal in Action” looked at the mobility crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic. An important consensus of the meeting was that SuM4All must play a bigger role in responding to this global challenge.
All modes of transport were represented at the event, with more than 50 global organizations and influential decision makers from SuM4All’s coalition. Most of the World Bank’s transport management also attended, reflecting SuM4All’s significance for Bank projects and knowledge transfer in the sector. Here are five key takeaways from the meeting:
New faces, similar efficacy
The coalition announced the election of its new Steering Committee effective July 1, 2020, in accordance with SuM4All’s two-year seat rotation policy. Guided by principles of inclusion, gender balance and the transport related SDG targets, the new committee will now include the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI), World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). The coalition also expressed appreciation for the great work of the outgoing members (read more).
Thought leadership in light of the new normal
After a session recapping the outcomes of the recent TUMI 2020 Digital Conference, the opening panel brought together experts on public transport, urban development, public–private sector collaboration, and multimodality to discuss emerging opportunities amid the new normal. Panelists explored whether the COVID-19 crisis would usher a new area for transport, and SuM4All’s role as a safe space to think and work together toward that. Among the highlights were the important role of rail transport and public–private cooperation in reimagining city spaces and embracing multimodality during the unprecedented times. The conclusion was that, with all mobility solutions under threat, more than ever the international transport community must unite under SuM4All’s four goals. (Read more.)
A steady ship
Responding to the novel and evolving challenges presented by the pandemic, the five SuM4All working groups established in January 2020 transitioned from work plan and process discussions to deep-seated deliberations on substance. The groups updated members about the work being done to deliver on their respective commitments by January 2021, and on how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the issues under study. (Read more.)
Emerging gaps in the response effort
As the pandemic progresses, SuM4All Member organizations are mobilizing their expertise, knowledge, finance and networks to respond. Despite all the efforts toward a sustainable new normal, new challenges and gaps are emerging, including:
- Lack of coordinated information on the impact of COVID-19 on transport and documented best practices for the new normal to renew advocacy efforts;
- Insufficient research to reframe the narrative on sustainable mobility for resilience to health shocks, and updates on the sustainable mobility policy framework;
- Not enough monitoring of funding needs and financial flows toward sustainable mobility; and
- Underutilization of SuM4All’s convening prowess. (Read more.)
Expectations on what SuM4All can do to remedy the gaps
Failure to address these gaps could prove catastrophic, as mobility is central to people’s lives and the pursuit of sustainable development. A survey undertaken on all SuM4All member organizations served as the basis of a dedicated discussion about the role of global coalitions like SuM4All during these exceptional times, and beyond. Although SuM4All is uniquely placed to renew advocacy efforts and reframe the narrative for sustainable mobility, it was also noted that the coalition must likewise expand its influence as a neutral space where all stakeholders can discuss COVID-19’s impact and response on transport.
As a concrete outcome of the meeting, SuM4All will revisit the policy framework for sustainable mobility in the Global Roadmap of Action Toward Sustainable Mobility (GRA) in light of lessons learned from the pandemic. (Read More.)
Story prepared by Gurpreet Singh Sehmi