Optimizing transport infrastructure by thedevelopment of sustainable freight and

passenger transport –the Carpathian experience

Matthias Jurek, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention

2 December 2014, Brussels

Pictures: A. Czaderna, A.& D. Nowak, Pieniny National Park

Overview

2. The Carpathians and transport

1. The Carpathian region and Carpathian Convention

3. Challenges and opportunities

4. Priority for future action

The Carpathian regionThe greenJewel in theheart of EuropeCzech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia,Slovak Republic, Ukraine

The Carpathian Convention at a glance

Main objective:Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathian region

7 State PartiesAdoption: 22 May 2003 in Kyiv, UkraineEntry into force: 4 January 20064 Meetings of the COP: 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014Current presidency: Czech RepublicRecent COP4, Report by Czech Republic at European Council

Pictures: A. Czaderna, A.& D. Nowak, Pieniny National Park

Activities in general•Development of new Protocols and other policy and legal tools•Establishment of strategic partnerships with key actors in theregion, towards the realization of strategic projects and initiativeswithin the Carpathians and beyond.•Strong interaction with EU: Funding support, policy consultations• Cooperation with thematic Working Groups•Activities specifically related to:

Biodiversity SpatialPlanning

Water andRiver Basins

Agriculture andRural Development

Industry, Energy, Transportand Infrastructure

Cultural Heritage andTraditional Knowledge

Awareness Raising,Education andParticipation

Climate Change

The Carpathian Convention

The Carpathian Transport Network

4 primary routes (notmotorways) and 5 main railwayroutes are crossing theCarpathians

Carpathians as natural barrier tothe development of East-Westnetworks

Two important considerations:• To expand international traffic

flows Eastwards• Preserve the natural beauty and

richness of the Carpathians

Current Challenges

Transport development VS biodiversityconservationDanger/risk: ecological connectivity isendangeredKey challenge: To provide ACCESSIBILITYby guaranteeing SUSTAINABILITY “soft mobility”

Common challenges!

Answers: Political approach

Adoption and Signature of theProtocol on Sustainable Transport at COP4Mikulov, September 2014 as a milestone

Adoption and Signature of theProtocol on Sustainable Transport at COP4Mikulov, September 2014 as a milestone

Important legal tool for future development of sustainablefreight and passenger transport and related infrastructure

Definition of common goals and objects in transport modes In strong complementary to EU policy and law Support integration of non EU-MS Strong focus on precautionary approach Avoiding, minimizing and, where necessary, mitigating and

compensating negative environmental and socio-economicimpacts

• Fields of cooperation:

– sustainable transport and related infrastructure planning and development;– sustainable multi-modal transport policies for access to urban, rural, remote

areas and tourist destinations in the Carpathians;– reduction of negative impacts on human health and improvement of

transportation safety;– avoiding fragmentation of natural and semi–natural habitats;– maintenance and improvement of ecological connectivity on the local, national

and regional level;– development and promotion of environmentally friendly transport models and

systems, in particular, in environmentally sensitive areas;– sustainable transport planning and traffic management;– infrastructural functionality of the transport network;– improvement or maintenance of transport infrastructure in terms of efficiency,

safety, security passenger and freight mobility and emissions of greenhousegases. (…)

Case example 1: AKK Project

AKK - Alpine-Carpathian Corridor Project(Funded under Crossborder programme:Austria – Slovakia)www.alpenkarpatenkorridor.at

Main objectives:-To safeguard the ecological connectivitybetween the Alps and the Carpathians, withinthe Centrope region. Migration and geneticalexchange among wildlife populations shall besecured.- To strengthen conservation managementfor the protected areas along the AlpineCarpathian Corridor and neighbouringhabitats.- Private public partnerships

Political Output of the Project:Memorandum of Understanding

Main objective: Durable environmentally friendlytourism/soft mobilityAccessibility and connection to, between,and in sensitive regions of the Alpsand Carpathians

Specific Objectives Knowledge building and transfer Improvement of Infrastructure / Connections Transnational mountain regional development Environmental performance Multi-level policy dialogue

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Case example: Access2MountainCase example 2: Access2Mountain

2 “Best practice”-collections: regionalrailways and multi-modal transport and a lotof generated know how

Pilot activities of project partners:Feasibility studies of intermodal routs, new transportoffers, ticketing systems, packages,...

Communication strategies, marketing,stakeholder work, awareness raising,trainings

Transport model

Transport Protocol to Carpathian Conv.

Visit also: www.access2mountain.eu

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Results after 3 years of implementation

Contacts:agnes.kurzweil@umweltbundesamt.ataccess2mountain@komobile.at

Future Priorities

• Support implementation of Transport Protocol (StrategicAction Plan etc.) and strong focus on “last-mile” issue topromote soft mobility solutions in the Carpathians• Exchange and up-scaling of best-practices in the context ofsustainable transport and infrastructure overallcontribution to a Green Infrastructure development in theCarpathians/EU TEN-G initiative• Several linkages to current EU priorities: Commitments inthe EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy and the Roadmap toresource efficiency to come forward with a strategy on GreenInfrastructure (GI). >> policy signal towards decision makers,planners and promoters to invest in GI projects at local,regional, national and cross-boundary level

EST Goes East Clearing House (EgE)The EST goes EAST Clearing House (EgE) seeks to promote EnvironmentallySustainable Transport (EST) in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a portal thatfacilitates the exchange of information, knowledge and experience with EST policiesand practices in Central and Eastern Europe, in particular, and in Europe moregenerally. The Clearing House achieves this by having:- A searchable database of EST 'Good Practices'.- 'Publications' that are of relevance to the implementation of sustainable transportpolicies.- 'Contacts' and 'Useful Links' pages where links to relevant transport, environmentand health institutions and organisations can be found, including a set of links foreach country covered by the Clearing House.-A 'Notice Board' for ad hoc announcements.

Contacts: rie.tsutsumi@unep.ch

Visit http://esteast.unep.ch/

Thank you for your attention

Precaution is better than cure!Contacts: matthias.jurek@unvienna.org