Session Annotation

Transport systems provide access for people and goods and underpin the economy of a country​. This session will cover perspectives on transitions happening in the transport sector as well as discuss the critical role for human-centered design across transportation.  

Session Overview

Transport systems provide access for people and goods and underpin the economy of a country​. Today, transport systems and related infrastructure are undergoing a transition driven by profound changes in demography, technology, global trade, integration across transport systems, energy transformation, urbanization and behavioral change. These changes are redefining the factors that project developers and policy makers need to consider while designing transportation systems for the long term. For example, Australia is building infrastructure for a hydrogen train in Queensland1. This would require new standards around resilience and modifications to current rail infrastructure such as tunnels etc. There are similar transitions across other transport modes such as seaports, roads and airports. All of this is happening against the backdrop of climate change.  

Climate change mitigation concerns coupled with the energy transition are leading to new transport infrastructure powered by electricity and hydrogen. At the same time there is greater recognition of adaptation needs to maintain assets, protect investment and minimize service disruptions. The deeper integration across different infrastructure sectors will also require managing cascading risks. This presents an opportunity to build disaster resilience right from the beginning.  

Further, there is the need for bringing a more human-centered approach to designing transport infrastructure. The possibilities of getting to one place or another determine people’s opportunities and its design can have an impact on the choices citizens make. It is, therefore, essential to integrate the perspective of inclusion in the planning and execution process. Some of the key questions include:  

Q1.Given the complex drivers of change, what could future transportation systems and associated infrastructure look like?  

Q2. What could be the most critical elements of building disaster resilience? How do we achieve this? 

Q3. How can we deliver resilient, transport infrastructure systems that are inclusive for all users?  

This session will cover perspectives on transitions in the transport sector as well as discuss the opportunities for integrating disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure.