The United Nations Centre for Regional Development - Department of Sustainable Development Goals / United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNCRD-DSDG/UN DESA), the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Thailand, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) will co-organize the EST Regional Meeting and Capacity-Building Workshop towards Accelerating Implementation of the Aichi 2030 Declaration (2021-2030) from 16 to 18 March 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will be held as an integral part of UN ESCAP’s Transport Week (16-19 March 2026).
The Regional Meeting and Capacity-Building Workshop is expected to be supported by a wide range of partner organizations, including the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA)-Ministry of Transport of Thailand, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Wuppertal Institute, European Space Agency (ESA), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) , International Union of Railways (UIC), International Road Federation (IRF), Walk 21, Eco-Mo Foundation, Toyota Transportation Research Institute (TTRI), ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Seongnam City - Republic of Korea, Clean Air Asia, Asian Transport Observatory (ATO), Safetipin, Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport Partnership (SLOCAT), Business Environment Council, among others.
The main objective of the Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST), Regional Meeting and Capacity-Building Workshop is to enhance understanding and strengthen capacities including policy, planning, institutional, financial, technical, and data/information capacities of member countries in implementing the goals of the Aichi 2030 Declaration (2021-2030). The workshop will also enable participants to assess current transport practices and develop actionable national and local implementation plans on EST, contributing to the objectives of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035).
The workshop will feature technical presentations, policy dialogues, and group exercises, creating a dynamic learning environment that bridges theory and practice. Participants will gain actionable insights into cutting-edge mobility solutions, evolving regulatory frameworks, and effective implementation strategies aligned with the Aichi 2030 Declaration. Each thematic session will include a series of lead lectures designed to provide key learning insights. These lectures will serve as anchor input, presenting global and regional priorities, targets, policy frameworks, tools, standards, and financial mechanisms within the context of the Aichi 2030 Declaration -- highlighting what actions are needed and why they matter.
The workshop is expected to bring together over 120 participants from Asia and the Pacific, including government representatives from EST countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, P.R. China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) including Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu.