WRI Stories Feed: Climate, Energy & Transport

MEDIA ALERT: Launch of New Report on Auto-Rickshaws in India

Lauren Zelin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:05:08 -0500

Sustainable Urban Transport in India: Role of the Auto-Rickshaw Sector

Background

Across India, auto-rickshaws make more than 229 million passenger trips per day. That number is expected to more than double to 482 million by 2031. The range runs from 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles in medium-sized cities (population between 1 and 4 million) to more than 50,000 in large cities (population greater than 4 million).

Now, the World Resources Institute and EMBARQ are releasing the most comprehensive report ever on auto-rickshaws, which are such an important part of urban transport in Indian cities.

The report, “Sustainable Urban Transport in India: Role of the Auto-rickshaw Sector,” by Akshay Mani, Madhav Pai and Rishi Aggarwal, examines the role auto-rickshaws play in promoting public transport usage and reducing private motor vehicle trips in cities. The report also provides a policy vision for the auto-rickshaw sector that improves sustainable urban transport in India.

The publication highlights the need for regulatory reforms to promote dispatch services and vehicle-related reforms to address emissions and road safety. Adopting these reforms is key to ensuring that auto-rickshaws contribute to a more efficient, clean and safe transport system.

Statement by Akshay Mani, Project Manager – Urban Transport, EMBARQ India

“Given the current urban transport trends and challenges, such as rising emissions and road fatalities, there is a critical need to promote more sustainable transport options in India. Implementing the recommended reforms – such as the promotion of fleet-based dispatch services and vehicle improvements – will be key to ensure that auto-rickshaws can serve as an effective alternative to private motor vehicles. These reforms are essential to mitigate the environmental and road safety challenges that currently exist in this sector.”

Key Facts

Market size of auto-rickshaws varies from around 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles in Tier II cities (population between 1 and 4 million) to more than 50,000 in Tier I cities (population greater than 4 million). Mumbai has the largest market with around 150,000 auto-rickshaws.
Auto-rickshaws serve between 10-20 percent of daily motorized road transport trips for people in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Rajkot.
Production of auto-rickshaws in India has doubled between 2003 and 2010.
High concentration of particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10) in Indian cities is a key public health issue. Auto-rickshaws running on two-stroke engines are a major contributor to PM10 emissions.
Contrary to popular belief, auto-rickshaws are the second safest motorized mode of travel (after buses) for pedestrians, in terms of contribution to fatalities, in both Mumbai and Bangalore.
However, safety of auto-rickshaw occupants is a key issue of concern, due to mixed-flow traffic conditions in Indian cities as well as current vehicle design aspects, which needs to be addressed urgently.
Meanwhile, the population of Indian cities will grow from an estimated 340 million in 2008 to 590 million by 2030.

Resources

The publication is available online at: http://www.embarq.org/en/sustainable-urban-transport-india-role-auto-rickshaw-sector

Read blog posts by Akshay Mani at: http://thecityfix.com/blog/author/akshay142

Watch and link to videos at: www.embarq.org/multimedia

Mumbai Rickshaws: http://www.embarq.org/en/video/cities-focus-mumbai-rickshaws
Vikram: http://www.embarq.org/en/video/snapshot-vikram
Vatsala: http://www.embarq.org/en/video/snapshot-vatsala

The report will be launched Friday, February 10, at Rickshaw Rising – An Auto-rickshaw Entrepreneurship Summit, in Mumbai, India: http://www.embarq.org/en/events/12/02/rickshaw-rising

For more information about the launch or to set up interviews, contact:
Erica Schlaikjer, EMBARQ, Media Relations Coordinator, (202) 729-7722, eschlaikjer@wri.org; or
Lauren Zelin, WRI, Senior Press Officer, (202) 729-7736; lzelin@wri.org

2012: A Breakthrough for Renewable Energy?

Manish Bapna — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:58:39 -0500

In his annual State of the Union address, President Obama declared: “I will not walk away from clean energy.”

His words were a sharp rebuttal to critics harping on the Solyndra bankruptcy and others making dire predictions about the…

RELEASE: Johan Schaar and Heather McGray to lead new WRI's Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative

Michael Oko — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:47:38 -0500

Two internationally recognized experts will co-direct the World Resources Institute’s new climate change Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative. Dr. Johan Schaar joins WRI from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), where he has served in many leadership roles, including most recently as director of the Department for Policy Support. Heather McGray, who will serve as co-director, has led WRI’s adaptation work since 2007.

“We are thrilled to have Johan and Heather leading this increasingly important line of work,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of WRI’s Climate and Energy Program. “Johan is a widely recognized leader on international development and environmental issues, and brings hands-on experience from many of the world’s most vulnerable countries.”

The Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative will encourage climate-resilient policies in developing countries to assist poor and marginalized communities facing the impacts of climate change. The program will focus initially on Kenya and India, with the aim of scaling up activities in more countries in Africa and Asia.

“WRI has an excellent and well-deserved reputation as a leader in international climate policy,” said Schaar. “I’m excited to begin collaborating with my new colleagues and expanding our work on climate adaptation, which is an increasingly important response to climate change.”

Prior to his most recent role at Sida, Schaar served as the director for the International Commission on Climate Change and Development. Schaar also had operational responsibility for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ recovery operations following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. He holds a doctorate from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and has over 25 years of experience in international development, humanitarian and environmental work.

“We are also very excited that Heather will continue to direct WRI’s adaptation work,” Morgan said. “Heather brings a proven track record for developing innovative solutions based on research and analysis, and we look forward to her ongoing leadership in this arena.”

McGray has worked with WRI since 2005, conducting research on climate adaptation policies in developing nations, and promoting transparency, participation and accountability in environmental decision-making. McGray’s professional experience has included research on environmental management in China; research and negotiations on ISO 14000 environmental standards; coordination of an urban education and development network; and management of educational exchange programs for the Yale-China Association. McGray holds a Masters degree in Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Oberlin College.

“Climate change is already having noticeable impacts in many parts of the developing world. Adapting to a changing climate is necessary if development and poverty reduction are to succeed,” said McGray. “I’m looking forward to working with Johan and the rest of our team to deepen our analysis and design new strategies around this crucial issue.”

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For more information about WRI’s Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative, visit: http://www.wri.org/project/vulnerability-and-adaptation

See the latest World Resources Report, Decision Making in a Changing Climate: www.worldresourcesreport.org

Weird Winter Weather and the Climate Connection

Kelly Levin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:56:39 -0500

Punxsutawney Phil may have forecast six more weeks of winter, but for much of the country winter has not yet arrived. Once again, weird weather is dominating the headlines. Temperatures have recently hit highs of 63F in New York City and 72F in…

What Does the State of the Union Mean for the Energy Agenda?

Jennifer Morgan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:08:54 -0500

This post originally appeared in the National Journal Energy &; Environment Expert Blog. The question was, Obama’s State of the…

Transparency of Climate Finance: Did Durban Show Us the Money?

Kirsten Stasio — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:36:08 -0500

In the recent UN climate negotiations (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa, the issue of transparency of climate finance appeared in a variety of contexts…

What Shale Gas in China Means for the United States

Sarah Forbes — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:13:36 -0500

Today I testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission during a hearing on China’s Global Quest for Resources and Implications…

Senators, EPA Administrators, Business and Health Experts Share Perspectives on Clean Air Act at WRI Roundtable

Michael Oko — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:41:16 -0500

This post was written with Sara-Katherine Coxon, Objective Coordinator at the World Resources Institute.

“Smog was a daily occurrence, something you could taste and see.”

This…

ADVISORY: Transforming Transportation Event: Scaling Up Sustainable Transport Solutions Worldwide

Lauren Zelin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:36:04 -0500

The 9th annual Transforming Transportation conference will focus on big ideas to scale up sustainable transport in cities worldwide. Over two days, more than 300 global experts will reflect on past successes and ongoing challenges in sustainable transport and urban development, while exploring ways to scale up through innovation. Special attention will be given to financing from private sources, national government programs and international development agencies.

This year’s conference is organized by EMBARQ – the World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport, the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Institute for Transportation Development and Policy, Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities, and the Partnership for Sustainable Low Carbon Transport.

View the full agenda online: http://www.transformingtransportation.org

KEY MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Thursday, January 26, 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Keynote address by Jaime Lerner, former Mayor of Curitiba and former Governor of Parana State, Brazil, on the “Future of the City: Challenges of Scaling Up Good Practices in Urban Transport.”

Thursday, January 26, 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Media availability immediately following the keynote address with Jaime Lerner; Holger Dalkmann, Director, EMBARQ; and Jose Luis Irigoyen, Sector Director of Transport, Water and ICT, World Bank.

Friday, January 27, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Keynote address by Chris West, Director, Shell Foundation, on “Innovations in Scaling: What Lessons are Available for the Transport Sector?”

Followed by a panel discussion with Ashwin Mahesh, CEO, Mapunity; Kelly Larson, Program Manager, Bloomberg Philanthropies; and Alex Perera, Co-director, Business Engagement in Climate and Technology, World Resources Institute; moderated by Sommer Mathis, Editor, The Atlantic CITIES.

WHERE
The World Bank
Preston Auditorium
1818 H Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20433

Registration required: https://community.wri.org/NetCommunity/tt2012

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For more information or to set up interviews contact:
Lauren Zelin, WRI, Senior Media Officer, (202) 729-7736, lzelin@wri.org
Erica Schlaikjer, EMBARQ, Media Relations Coordinator, (202) 729-7722, eschlaikjer@wri.org

WRI to Host Discussion on State of the Clean Air Act

Kevin Kennedy — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:03:46 -0500

On January 23, WRI will host a high-profile roundtable discussion on “The State of the Clean Air Act: Past, Present and Future.” The event will be moderated by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.),…