WEBINAR ORGANIZED BY

STUDENT CHAPTER OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERING SOCIETY OF

GENERAL SIR JOHN KOTELAWALA DEFENCE UNIVERSITY

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT TOWARDS CARBON NEUTRALITY

THUSITHA SUGATHAPALA
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA
23RD NOVEMBER 2021
 OUTLINE 2

 The Rationale
 Understanding the Basics
 Understanding the Complexity
 Transport - Through Sustainability Lens
 Sustainable Transport Systems
 Climate Action
 Concluding Remarks
 THE RATIONALE 3

 Sustainable Development and Climate Change

 The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development (SD) and the Paris
Agreement for climate change (CC) are in effect.
 Represent two of the most important international conventions,
 Put forth complementary frameworks for achieving ambitious sustainable
development goals (SDGs), while stabilizing the global climate by realizing
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
 CC presents the single biggest threat to SD.
 Thus, challenges for SD are strongly linked to those of CC.
 Role of Transportation
 Though transportation is not an standalone SDG, it appears in
several targets and indicators therein, emphasizing its importance.
 In Sri Lanka, transportation contributes to about 50% of the GHG
emissions in the energy sector, thus key area in Climate Action.
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS 4

 Transportation and Development

 Involves movements of people,
goods and information, thus giving
effect to mobility, accessibility and
connectivity.
 It is a fundamental requirement of
the socio-economic development.
 Modern economic processes have been accompanied by a
significant increase in transportation modes/activities.
 Different components of transportation are interconnected
with diverse economic, social and environment systems.
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS 5

 Transport Fuels / Energy Sources

 Fossil oil:
 Gasoline
 Diesel
 Heavy fuel oil (HFO)
 Low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO)
 Kerosene / Aviation oil
 Fossil gas:
 Natural Gas (CNG; LNG)
 Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
 Electricity - to drive electric motors
 Hydrogen - IC engines, Fuel cells (electric)
 Bio-fuels: Ethanol, Bio-diesel; Bio-gas.
Thus transport sector is strongly connected to energy sector too
 UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY 6

 The Issue
Congestion Air quality
 Though transportation
Energy Noise &
activities support Security Vibration
increasing mobility
demands due to socio- Economic
Efficiency Impacts Accidents
economic development, of
they have resulted in a Transport
Systems Global Climate
diverse range of adverse Severance Change
impacts owing to
growing levels of Visual Natural
Intrusion Habitats
congestion, resource Lost of
Living Waste
consumption & Space Disposal
emissions.
TRANSPORT - THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY LENS 7

 The Basis for Interventions

 The challenges in the transport sector are great, but so are the
opportunities, as elaborated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development (and SDGs).
5Ps of SDGs
Poverty Food Health Education Gender Human society and its economic
Clean &
Water &
sanitation
modern
energy
conducts (e.g. Transportation) shall
Economic
Sustainable
Consumption
growth &
descent jobs
be appraised as an integral part of
& Production
Climate
change
Industry &
infrastructure
the society & environment systems.
Life under Inequality
water

Cities
The Systemic Solution through
Life on earth
Holistic Approach
Global
Peace
Solidarity
Sustainable Transport
 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS 8

 Sustainable Transport Systems – The Attributes

SAFE AFFORDABLE ACCESSIBLE EFFICIENT RESILIENT MINIMUM EMISSIONS
(GHG AND OTHER AIR
POLLUTANTS)

Source: UN - Mobilizing Sustainable Transport for Development

 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS 9

 The Strategic Framework: A-S-I Approach

 “Avoid/Reduce-Shift-Improve” is a better alternative to the
conventional “Predict–Provide–Manage” approach. Avoid/Reduce
Overall Performance of
Transport Systems Improve Shift
System Performance Trip Performance Vehicle Performance
Organize land use, social and Make use of environment Consuming as little energy as possible
economic activities in such a way friendly modes like public per vehicle-km by using advanced
that the need for transport and transport and NMT to reduce technologies & cleaner fuels and by
the use of fossil fuels is reduced energy consumption per trip optimizing vehicle operation
Reduce or avoid travel or the Shift to more sustainable and Improve the performances through
need to travel efficient modes vehicle technology

AVOID/REDUCE SHIFT IMPROVE Source:

GIZ (2012)
 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS 10

 The Strategic Framework: A-S-I Approach

 Design Criteria for Transport Infrastructure
Planning Implementing
dense and transit
human scale improvements
cities Controlling
Optimizing vehicle-use
the road
Encouraging
network and
walking and
its use
cycling
Developing
transit- Promoting
oriented clean
cities vehicles
Approaching the challenges comprehensively Communicating solutions Managing parking
Source: ITDP, 2019, Sustainable Urban Transport, A-S-I Approach.
 CLIMATE ACTION 11

 Challenges for SD are strongly linked to those of CC:

 Climate actions play central role in achieving SDGs.
 A growing number of countries are preparing and implementing
national plans to address the causes of CC (Mitigation) and
enhance resilience (Adaptation).
 Evolution of climate change framework:
Country group of Timeline
UNFCCC 1992 - 1997 1997 - 2010 2010 - 2020 Post 2020
Limit GHG Economy-wide GHG
Annex 1 INDC/NDC
Emissions Reduction Targets
Take measures to mitigate NAMAs INDC/NDC
Non-Annex 1
emissions through CDM LEDS
CDM – Clean development mechanism; NAMA – Nationally appropriate mitigation actions
LEDS – Low emission development strategies.
 CLIMATE ACTION 12

 GHG Emissions
 Energy sector In 2010.
Refinery
2%
Agr, Com & Res
15%
Energy
Industry
Industries 24%
8%

Transport
51%
Total CO2eq Emission:
14,151 Gg (2010)
 CLIMATE ACTION 13

 NDCs and Carbon Neutrality

 With updated NDCs, GoSL has pledged to become carbon
neutral by 2050.
Updated NDCs NDC # NDC and Action
NDC 01 Transport Sector System Improvement
in the Transport NDC 02 Promote Public Passenger Transport
Sector NDC 03 Shift Freight to Efficient Modes
(4.5% reduction NDC 04 Rapid Transit for Passenger Transport
by 2030) NDC 05 Promote Non-Motorized Transport Modes
NDC 06 Introduce Taxes and other instruments to promote Public Transport
NDC 07 Introduce Inland Water Transport Modes
Carbon NDC 08 Modernizing & Upgrading of Suburban Railway
Neutrality NDC 09 Promote Electric Mobility & Hybrid Vehicles
NDC 10 Improve Vehicle Fleet Efficiency
2030  2050 NDC 11 Road infrastructure development
?? NDC 12 Reduce GHG Emission from the Marine Sector
NDC 13 Generic enabling activities
 CLIMATE ACTION 14

 Global Targets of Fuel Economy / Carbon Emission

 Decarbonizing road transport to tackle climate change:
 To comply with the Paris Agreement’s < 2 C scenario:
- Additional ‘Avoid’ and ‘Shift’ measures,
- Better fuel economy of vehicle technologies;
- Faster transition to electric vehicles (EVs); Improve
- Faster decarbonizing the electricity grid
are all needed.
To achieve these targets, the carbon intensity of the global electricity
grid will need to decrease by at least 90% between 2020 and 2050.
 CLIMATE ACTION 15

 Global Targets of Fuel Economy / Carbon Emission

 Specific targets for Paris Agreement’s < 2 C scenario.
Fuel Economy / CO2 Improvement Base
Vehicle Category year:
2030 2035 2050
2005
Passenger
Light Duty 50% 90%
Vehicles

Heavy Duty
35% 70%
Vehicles

Transit
65% 95%
Buses

Two-/Three-
80% 95%
Wheelers
Source: GFEI (May 2019)
 CONCLUDING REMARKS 16

 The challenges for the transport sector development are vast,

so do the solutions, as guided by sustainable transport
strategies.
 Transport sector is complex, thus needs comprehensive,
transformational, innovative, unique and localized solutions
through systemic “Avoid-Shift-Improve” approach.
 However, the success of the concept needs effectuation of
knowledge management at all levels.
 Knowledgeable People
Knowledge
 Learning Organizations
Management
 Informed Society

Thank You
  Transportation and Economic Growth 17

 Inland passenger transport vs GDP in Sri Lanka

10,000
Passenger km per Capita per year

9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000
GDP per Capita (USD)

Source: CBSL (2020); DMT (2019); Own estimates (2020)

  The Attributes – Examples from Local Scenarios 18

 Historical growth of active vehicle fleet in Sri Lanka

6,000,000

5,000,000
Active Vehicle Fleet

Others
Motor Cycles
4,000,000
Threewheelers

3,000,000 2Ws Motor Cars

Dual Purpose
2,000,000 Buses
3Ws
Lorries
1,000,000 Cars Land Vehicles

0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Year

Source: CBSL (2020); DMT (2019)

  The Attributes – Examples from Local Scenarios 19

 Active Fleet and Contribution to Passenger Transport by Mode - 2018

Active Fleet (Total ~ 5 Million)

Passenger km (Total ~ 200 Billion)

Source: CBSL (2020), Own Estimates (2020)
  The Attributes – Examples from Local Scenarios 20

 Fuel demand in the transport sector

2,500

2,000
Annual Sale (kton)

1,500

1,000
Diesel
500
Gasoline

Year

Source: SLSEA (2019)