The 18th IRF (International Roads Federation) World Meeting & Exhibition has held a first panel (Roads to Tomorrow: Pathways to Sustainable Mobility) on the opening day of the event, which runs through November 10th.
Participants in the session included Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, Mark Boris Andrijanič, Slovenian Minister for Digital Transformation, and Lord Philipp Hammond, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, UK (2016-2019), WAM reports.
Lord Hammond started by highlighting the enormous global carbon footprint and its considerable impact on life as a whole. However, he revealed the good news that modern technology would raise human hopes in reducing the carbon footprint on the earth. “Technology here is represented in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and smart applications, Internet of Things and the strong government involvement. We must think about vehicles of the future and the sustainability of infrastructure. We also ought to think about the luxury in our homes, as the concept of sustainability goes beyond vehicles and roads to include society and ways of decent living. All of this will not be achieved without societal consent as well as a solid infrastructure to reduce accidents and achieve financial sustainability,” he added.
Mark Boris Andrianic, Minister of Digital Transformation of the Republic of Slovenia, expressed his passion for themes such as sustainability, electric vehicles, self-driving vehicles and shared Mobility. “By 2035, no non-electric vehicle will be sold in Europe and the continent will reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Slovenia is now developing the best electric aircraft in the world and is keen to work with international partners in the exchange of knowledge, technologies and expertise in this field,” he added.
Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, highlighted the efforts of the African Union countries to achieve integrated transport systems and innovative public transport networks. “The Black Continent is developing a 10-year program covering public transport, energy, digital transformation and sustainability across the board. Women must have active participation in this field, through a program called Women’s Contribution to Infrastructure. Investors from all over the world are invited to invest in sustainability in the African continent as it boasts of many promising opportunities,” she commented.
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You may read about the 6th Sustainability Report 2020 released by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority here.
