From January 16 – 17, 2020, the annual conference Transforming Transportation 2020 (#TTDC20) took place at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC. The theme for this year’s conference is “Connecting People for Sustainable Growth.” Experts and policymakers focused on how access to transport can promote global growth, trade, economic inclusion and sustainability, with an emphasis on the developing world. Sessions explored the current and future challenges countries face in providing sustainable mobility for all. Over 1,100 participants joined the 2020 edition of Transforming Transportation in person, while another 20,000 followed the livestream.
The conference features a prestigious lineup of government and private sector leaders, as well as top global transport experts, including Stephanie von Friedeburg, Chief Operating Officer of the International Finance Corporation, Andrew Steer, President and CEO of World Resources Institute and Axel van Trotsenburg, Managing Director of Operations at World Bank etc. to discuss the potential of disruptive technologies to improve mobility, introduce some of the most innovative transport policies emerging around the world and present groundbreaking academic research.
Dr. Feng An, Founder & Executive Director of the Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation (iCET) also spoke at the conference, saying that “The cost of EVs has to continue to go down,” and “{EVs should be on par with the combustion engine in 5-10 years.” Dr. An stressed that “Ebus is the future direction for developing countries. But how do they finance this shift? It’s crucial for governments to develop a road map for electric public transport in the next 10 years.”
Transforming Transportation 2020 highlights the role that sustainable mobility can play in boosting global development and addressing some of today’s toughest global challenges, from sluggish economic performance to social exclusion and climate change. The event pays special attention to the links between transport and inclusive economic development, emphasizing how sustainable mobility can help unlock better opportunities for all.
