Providing Innovative and Sustainable Solutions to Infrastructure Development in the Region
The Youth Forum Process
Forty-three young people came together from fourteen APEC economies to discuss transportation issues at the APEC Transportation Youth Forum. We, the youth delegates, came from different cultures and a variety of transportation backgrounds as representatives of industry, government and academia. Our differences were not barriers, but instead contributed to the energy and the dynamic nature of the discussions. We related to one another, not as members of specific economies but as individuals coming together to resolve common problems.
The goal of the Forum was to involve youth in a meaningful way at the Transportation Ministerial and to bring a youth perspective on transportation issues to APEC. Our sessions were organized around two main themes: "Transportation Planning" and "Environmental Issues related to Transportation". However, it became increasingly evident as the weekend progressed that these two themes cannot be considered separately or exclusively. An integrated approach must be taken toward planning which takes into account economic, social and environmental considerations. As such, we support the optimization of efficient transportation systems that mitigate negative environmental impacts and maximize economic benefits. Transportation systems need to be designed through an integrated, coordinated and long-term approach.
Recurrent Themes
During the discussion there were a number of recurrent themes:
1. Environmental impact and land use concerns are inseparable from issues of transportation planning.2. There is a need to identify and foster common values among member economies concerning transportation issues.
3. Communication and coordination are crucial. We envision communication in its broadest possible sense to include education, information sharing, and increased public involvement in decision-making.
4. We are concerned that the development of new transportation infrastructure is currently being undertaken without first exploring innovative approaches to achieve the efficient use of existing infrastructure. The social and environmental costs of building new infrastructure make the "best use" of existing infrastructure a top priority
5. Progressive and appropriate use of technology is essential. Technology plays a critical role in enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of transportation infrastructure by improving communication and sharing of information.
Recommendations
In discussing the themes, we focused on a number of transportation issues for which specific recommendations were developed.
The first issue: Transportation planning
Uncoordinated and short term planning can lead to inefficient use of transportation infrastructure and higher environmental costs. Consequently there is a need for the increased use of strategic planning which balances both short and long-term goals. With this in mind, we recommend that the more effective use of existing transportation infrastructure be considered prior to the development of new infrastructure. This would include enhancing the efficiency of secondary systems and feeder services and the integration of supply centres and supply chains to major transportation hubs. However, should new infrastructure be required, economies need to balance economic, environmental and social tradeoffs. To facilitate this balance, a process should be developed by APEC to measure and quantify these tradeoffs.
Recommendation
We recommend that economies share development experience with each other, both successes and failures, so that better transportation choices can be made.
The second issue: Stakeholder participation
Related to transportation planning is the issue of stakeholder participation. The planning process often does not take into account the interests of all affected parties. This results in inefficiencies. By incorporating a wider cross section of perspectives, the benefits of transportation infrastructure can be enhanced. To this end, we recommend that each member economy find a suitable process to engage the participation of all stakeholders -- business, community, government -- in transportation planning.
Recommendation
To increase the effectiveness of broad-based participation in decision making, we recommend that APEC provide leadership with respect to promoting public awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of transportation. APEC economies can develop programs through the media, educational institutions and public discussion forums.
The third issue: Full costing
Another critical issue is the absence of full costing which can lead to inappropriate transportation demand decisions. To address this, APEC should develop a process to identify the full costs of transportation infrastructure and services including environmental and social costs. The incorporation of these costs into transportation planning is a long-term vision. The short-term mechanisms to achieve this vision, in the form of appropriate incentives and disincentives, should be implemented gradually. People's values change slowly, but will change as we move toward a system that ensures that true costs are fully recovered from users.
Recommendation
We recommend that APEC establish an independent mechanism to evaluate and report on the environmental policies and practices of the APEC member economies. This will ensure adherence to common environmental goals.
The fourth issue: Policy coordination
A fourth problem that was identified was a lack of policy coordination which can impede the efficient transportation of passengers and goods between and within economies.
Recommendation
To remedy this lack of communication, each member economy should conduct a comprehensive audit to assess, streamline and simplify existing transport related regulations as well as institute a program of reappraisal. These regulations also need to be coordinated across borders. APEC should provide a forum within which member economies can work toward harmonization.
The fifth issue: Incompatibility of technologies
A similar issue is the incompatibility of technologies which can also impede efficient transportation. Again, we believe that standardization is the answer. APEC should play a role in developing technological standards, keeping in mind that harmonization should not stifle innovation.
Recommendation
Standardization could be done through the creation of cross-functional multi-economy teams working to integrate new and current technology.
Conclusion
Collectively we have found that in designing a transportation system, the tradeoffs between economic, social and environmental costs are extremely difficult to resolve. These tradeoffs are further complicated by the differing interests of member economies. By building stronger relationships, greater trust, and a common understanding, we can work towards the resolution of such issues.
However, this is only the first step. These relationships can only be fostered through increased interaction. This can be accomplished through a number of mechanisms such as the establishment of Youth Forums as an ongoing part of APEC and the creation of internship and secondment programs in the transportation sector between member economies. This will allow greater opportunities for Youth from APEC member economies to exchange ideas, develop new insights and gain experience that will contribute to innovative, cooperative approaches in transportation planning.
The development of networks and the broadened perspectives of youth participating in such programs will enhance the effectiveness and value of international forums such as APEC as these youth move into leadership and decision-making positions. The voice of youth can contribute valuable, innovative solutions to problems in transportation.
We have identified concrete recommendations regarding greater communication and coordination, public involvement in decision-making, standardization, and harmonization of technologies and policies. We challenge APEC member economies to act on these recommendations and to develop mechanisms to authentically integrate the voice of youth into the APEC process.
© 1997 - TG Magazine / The Students Commission
© 1997 le magazine TG / la Commission des Ètudiants