The fifth Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum in Asia opened in Bangkok , Thailand on August 23.

Themed, “A new decade in sustainable transport”, the three-day forum provides a strategic and knowledge platform for sharing experiences and disseminating among Asian countries best practices, policy instruments, tools, and technologies in relation to various aspects of EST.

They include building partnerships and funding mechanisms, urban and regional rail development, fuel efficiency and sustainable freight transport.

The forum also seeks to provide a strategic platform to discuss a range of issues in the transport sector and develop a common understanding among participating countries on sustainable policy options with a specific emphasis on developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The forum is expected to ratify the “Bangkok 2020 Declaration - Sustainable Transport Goals for 2010-2020” with commitments of Asian countries towards realising a promising decade (2010-2020) of sustainable actions and measures for achieving safe, secure, affordable, efficient, and people and environmentally friendly transport in Asia.

Participants, including representatives of members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, South Asian countries, and 20 other Asian countries, will also discuss and propose policy options in the transport sector for sustainable development./.