A new study from the International Transport Forum reports a drop in transport demand and emissions during the global economic downturn, but says the long-term global trend continues to show growing demand for transport.
In Transport Outlook 2010, an annual study, the ITF says growing population, increasing urbanisation and higher incomes will boost demand for transport. It says air passenger transport is the fastest growing mode, with researchers taking a conservative estimate that volumes will triple by 2050.
The ITF is an intergovernmental think tank linked to the OECD. Presenting the findings to a meeting of ministers and transport experts in Leipzig last month, the researchers noted that a better-than-expected recovery would lead to revised projections that transport emissions across the globe will grow by about 40% between 2007 and 2030, compared with recorded growth of 45% between 1990 and 2007.
The survey calls for various measures, including demand management, to help in the fight against emissions, congestion and noise.
The report is available from www.internationaltransportforum.org.
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