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Physical Connectivity
By Pang Soo Mooi
Physical Connectivity
The term “ Physical Connectivity ” appeared initially at the APEC Leaders ’ 2013 Declaration for a seamlessly , comprehensively connected and integrated Asia-Pacific through the pillars of Physical Connectivity , Institutional Connectivity and People-to-People Connectivity . It recognised the disparity in access to and quality of physical and Information and Communication Technology ( ICT ) infrastructure throughout the region .
When the Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) was introduced subsequently , the term Physical Connectivity was expanded into Infrastructure Connectivity and Trade Connectivity in addition to Policy Connectivity , Financial Connectivity and People-to-People Connectivity .
With expanding global trade and the related supply chain economic activities , physical connectivity is taking centrestage , which will benefit land-locked nations and countries with poor infrastructure , helping to move their products into the international market .
Malaysia is fortunate to be located at a strategic geographic location with the sound infrastructure that is requisite for Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI ).
Transport for Development – Marc Juhel
Mobility is a pre-condition for economic growth : mobility for access to jobs , education , health , and other services . Mobility of goods is also critical to supply world markets in our globalised economy . Transport drives development .
But transport also contributes about 20 % of global energy-related CO 2 emissions . These emissions have increased by 1 % annually since 2000 . 60 % of that increase is in non-OECD countries where economic growth has been accompanied by a surge in demand for motor vehicles .
The more the world urbanises – and we are forecast to be 70 % urban-dwellers by 2050 – the more critical clean , efficient , safe transportation becomes .
This is a major challenge that countries face , but the good news is that the transition towards low-carbon transportation is affordable if countries combine policies to reduce GHG emissions with broader sector reforms aimed at maximising local co-benefits . ( i . e . less congestion , less local pollution , better road safety , etc .)
As outlined in a World Bank report , “ Turning the Right Corner ”, transport infrastructure investment today will define energy use and emissions over the next five to seven decades . Thus , the failure to gear today ’ s investments to real prices of energy and emissions in the long term will irreversibly lead to higher transport costs .
In this context , the developing world ’ s fastgrowing cities right now have an opportunity – and an urgent need – to build such low-carbon transport systems before unsustainable land-use patterns become locked in .
Transport also needs a broader sector reform that recognises the synergies between mitigating transport ’ s contributions to climate change and other externalities .
Congestion , for example , costs billions of dollars in lost time and productivity , and road traffic crashes cause nearly 1.3 million deaths each year around the world .
Low-emission transport could then provide a double dividend by boosting people ’ s prosperity and income , as well as reducing poverty . The good
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