SLoCaT Retreat 2016

To relect on questions of what are the main functions that an effective global institutional mechanism on sustainable transport should provide? What are the features of effective global institutional mechanism on sustainable transport? and how can the SLoCaT Partnership best influence and contribute to a strengthened global institutional mechanism on sustainable transport? SLoCaT organized a retreat from 6th-7th October 2016 at Maritime Hotel in Bad Homburg, Germany, with the intention that the retreat would help prepare SLoCaT and its members for and increase our influence in the coming debate. It was widely acknowledged that, as things are changing at the global level, it is not yet possible (or desirable) to find a definite or final answer to these questions, the discussions need to continue over the next months and years and include a much broader range of actors.

Scope

In order to focus the discussions, the following scope was proposed:

• The wide range of existing institutional arrangements for transport at regional and global levels,
• Transport is passenger and freight, urban, rural and cross-border,
• Institutional arrangements applicable to land transport as well as international maritime transport and aviation. 

Participation

There were 27 participants in the retreat (see report) which were a mixture of SLoCaT Board Members, representatives of members of the SLoCaT Partnership, Supporters of SLoCaT Foundation and other key stakeholders from the global sustainable transport community. SLoCaT staff also participated in the retreat.

Methodology

In preparing the retreat the SLoCaT Secretariat built on the discussions with a large group of stakeholders held during the Asian Development Bank Transport Forum in Manilla in September.

The retreat was held under Chatham House rules – meaning that while discussion and opinions can be shared and reported on they are not be attributed to any individual.

Pat Cox, as an independent person (no formal link with SLoCaT) facilitated the discussions. 

Agenda

The agenda was split into two distinct parts. Day 1 for discussion on the current and possible future global institutional arrangements for transport and Day 2 to discuss the current situation and possible future development of the SLoCaT Partnership.

Acknowledgements

The SLoCaT Partnership would like to thank GIZ (on behalf of BMZ) for their generous financial and logistical support for the retreat.

Please see full summary report here.