EMBARQ Visit to IR Class
Experts from EMBARQ visited Bilkent University on December 7 as a part of the IR course "Environment and Sustainable Development" taught by Dr. Göktuğ Kara. EMBARQ focuses on sustainable transportation, with goals that include reducing pollution, improving public health and creating safe, attractive urban spaces by collaborating with local transport authorities in such countries as Mexico, Brazil, China, India and Turkey. This global NGO is familiar in Turkey primarily through its "Metrobüs"project in İstanbul.
In their presentations, EMBARQ representatives Nicolae Duduta, Doğan Şalva and Cartsten Wass, experts on transport planning, urban design and road safety, highlighted the role of transportation in the global sustainability agenda. Transport is one of the major emitters of greenhouse gases and its marginal demand continues to increase as car ownership continues to rise globally. According to EMBARQ, car ownership in Turkey will more than double in the next two decades. The impact of congestion in cities on air quality, time loss and public health is considerable and is not confined within national boundaries. Without better integrating networks and using innovative planning, transport will become a burden on our way of life rather than a facilitator.
Mr. Daduta opened the presentations by giving brief information about EMBARQ. He also provided some significant statistical data and spoke about the transportation infrastructure of various countries and changing trends in urban areas. Next, Mr Şalva highlighted ongoing projects in Turkey, focusing on the urban structure of Seferihisar as a "slow city" and mentioning such areas as age distribution, traffic counts, origin-destination surveys and parking surveys. He then offered some recommendations on how to improve transportation alternatives and opportunities. Mr. Wass made the concluding presentation, which concerned general aspects of road safety. He pointed out that road accidents have become a global problem and also provided specific data about Turkey, which indicate how serious and widespread a problem road accidents are in this country.
After the presentations, a question and answer session took place, with issues brought up for discussion mainly focusing on transportation conditions in Turkey.
Celal Onur Uyanık(MIAPP/II)
Deniz Tuğuşlu(MIAPP/II)