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Where are the Gaps? What should be the Role of the SuM4All Coalition?

Our 55 Member organizations have mobilized their strongest assets —expertise, knowledge, finance, and network —during these exceptional times. Each organization took significant steps to respond and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on transportation. Organizations have informed and guided public and private action toward adjusting to a new reality and its consequences in the areas of their focus. They closely monitored the effects of the crisis, devised and advocated for policy measures to improve the resilience of the transport system to this health shock. They have mobilized and fast-tracked financing to support countries struggling with adverse fallouts from COVID-19, including economic effects.

And is there any opportunity to amplify the results of their work?  In a session moderated by Simon Fowler during the IX SuM4All Consortium Meeting, Nancy Vandycke (World Bank) and Nhan Tran (World Health Organization) presented the results of the Members’ survey, and discussed the role of a global coalition like Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) during these exceptional times.

Nancy Vandycke noted that the coronavirus pandemic had severely tested the resilience of the transport sector to adjust rapidly to unprecedented changes and confinements, which left streets empty and cars uselessly lined up along the sidewalks.  Nhan Tran acclaimed that the crisis illustrated the interconnectivity of different systems, their vulnerability and lack of resilience to such shocks, while exposing transport’s paramount role in linking these systems.  The globally shared experience also highlighted for him that cultural context significantly determines how policy interventions —such as travel restrictions and confinement— get adopted and how, ultimately, they manifest in different societies.  Both speakers agreed that the crisis emphasized that the sustainable mobility framework provides a useful entry point to frame the conversation on COVID-19 and transport.

Key messages from this session included:

  • Gaps which adequately respond to the crisis, and prepare for the new normal, in terms of consolidation of information, research, convening, and financing.  In Nhan Tran’s opinion, resilience, adaptability and flexibility should eventually become the new features that frame the narrative of sustainable mobility.  The convening role of SuM4All is extremely important to develop a coherent vision, policy, and narrative for the global transport community, and influence future choices in transport.  
  • On the financing side, arises the urgent need to influence recovery efforts.  The international transport community is better equipped to do so than during the global financial crisis in 2008.   We have clarity on the vision, a collective position on what is desirable, and the voice of a coalition to advocate and ensure that financing is channeled to the right investments and to support the right policy choices.  
  • The renewed risk of fragmentation of the sector poses a threat.  The COVID-19 crisis has shaken up the international transport system architecture.  As each organization grappled to respond to the new reality, we have seen new alliances being formed, while others were being undone or challenged in their legitimacy.  For a sector that has experienced the downside of fragmentation and has paid a high price for it, the hope is that we can build on what we have achieved together.
  • Nancy Vandycke confirmed the necessity to update the Global Roadmap of Action toward Sustainable Mobility (GRA).  A preliminary scan of the GRA showed that it had yield good results at including measures important to ensure the resilience of transport.  But we had underestimated the value of other measures, such as physical distancing protocols for use in public transportation. 

The session concluded with the recognition that SuM4All is an effective operating platform, and that it should continue its focus on core work, through its established five working groups.  At the same time, the international transport community faces a new challenging reality, and several Members have encouraged the coalition of SuM4All partners to take a more prominent role in helping the sector respond to the crisis and prepare for a new normal.  Such decisions and pivotal actions rest with the Steering Committee, which will make strategic choices and prioritize COVID-19-related tasks for the latter half of 2020.
 

Story prepared by Hasmik Sahakyan