Unlocking economic growth in low-income countries through sustainable and inclusive transport

Cities in low-income countries (LICs) are the most rapidly growing and youngest cities in the world, and they’re changing fast. This offers immense opportunities as well as challenges for the development of transport systems to meet the needs of the people and the economic growth, as well as meeting the urgent progress needed to address climate change. This session will coalesce the latest findings of several projects including research from the High Volume Transport Applied Research Programme (HVT), funded by UK Aid, which undertakes research into sustainable transport development in LICs across Africa and South Asia. The session will consider how sustainable, green and inclusive transport can support and not hinder economic growth in LICs, considering trends such as transit-oriented development, inclusive urban planning, and innovative decision support tools.

Organised in a panel discussion with the focus on LICs, the session will explore questions like:

• As many LICs see rapid, sprawling urbanization, how can transport infrastructures keep people and goods moving?
• Can the latest transport planning approach of transit-oriented development (TOD) be an answer to boosting economic growth without adding to transport-related climate stressors?
• As cities grow at pace, is there a risk that the most disadvantaged people in those cities get left behind?
• How can policy makers and practitioners be equipped to meet the challenges of transport development amidst the pressures of limited budgets, conflicting priorities and the climate crisis?