23 February 2009: The 71st annual session of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Inland Transport Committee is taking place from 24-26 February 2009, in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting has gathered representatives from the 56 UNECE member States, the European Commission, international and European transport organizations and non-governmental organizations. Among the issues to be considered by the Inland Transport Committee is a new project to address climate change and economic trends through the interaction of global supply chains and transport.
In preparation for the meeting, the UNECE commissioned a study titled “Economic Aspects of Transport and Climate Change,” which suggests that political pressure for more effective transport reduction policies will grow in the near future. Professor Werner Rothengatter, the author of the report, argues that the transport sector should be included in emissions reduction policies and notes that it can be postulated that the sector can “achieve similar percentages of reduction as the energy and industrial production sectors.” [Meeting website] [UNECE press release]