Transport Futures: Thinking the Unthinkable

17 JAN 2014 (FRI) | 19:00-20:00

Room2.58, 2/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus Central Podium Levels, The University of Hong Kong.

Speakers:

Prof David Banister

Professor of Transport Studies, The University of Oxford

David Banister is Professor of Transport Studies at Oxford University and Director of the Transport Studies Unit. Until 2006, he was Professor of Transport Planning at University College London. He has also been Research Fellow at the Warren Centre in the University of Sydney (2001-2002) on the Sustainable Transport for a Sustainable City project, was Visiting VSB Professor at the Tinbergen Institute in Amsterdam (1994-1997), and Visiting Professor at the University of Bodenkultur in Vienna in 2007. He is currently the first Benelux BIVET-GIBET Transport Chair (2012-2013). His research expertise is in transport scenario building, sustainable cities, energy and environmental modelling, and he has published 23 books and over 200 academic papers on these topics.

Abstract:

It is becoming increasingly important to think about longer term possibilities and directions that are trend breading and can help anticipate the unexpected and explicitly include uncertainty. This presentation discusses the role that different types of scenarios can plat in helping derive potential transport futures - including issues of possibility, plausibility and desirability - giving examples of each. It then contextualises the scenarios, emphasising the need for the longer view, the importance of decarbonising the economy, and in engaging decisions markers at all levels in fully participatory process to confront the need for strong action on mitigation and adaptation. This is illustrated with an example from London to demonstrate some of the recent developments and applications of these principles. Finally, some comments are made on the issues relating to improving our understanding of sustainability, and the difficulty of making radical changes to individual and societal values, and to travel behaviours, often requiring immediate and large scale actions.

Organizers:Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning, HKU (MATPP)

Institute of Transport Studies, HKU (ITS)

Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies

Admission is free. All are welcome.