GCC Is On The Cusp Of Unlocking US$400 Billion Treasure Trove

To achieve sustainable growth and lower their carbon footprint, GCC countries have set lofty targets. To this purpose, governments should promote eco-friendly and low-energy transportation options including electric and hybrid cars, car-sharing programmes, and micro-mobility solutions like scooters and bicycles.

"Personal automobiles are still the most common form of transportation. Mark Haddad, principal at Strategy & Middle East, remarked, "CO2 emissions and congestion have cost ramifications and inhibit our region from meeting sustainability targets." "To counteract this, a number of cities are constructing and updating their metro, tram, and bus networks. Others hope to implement this smart mobility technology within the next decade, he noted.

Adopting a five-pillar framework to sustainably upgrade the transportation sector is necessary to realise the full potential of sustainable mobility. Dr Shihab Elborai, a partner at Strategy& Middle East, estimates that "this framework might release around US$400B in economic value over the next 20 years." The ability to transport people and things in a carbon-neutral, smart, and self-sufficient manner is a major benefit.

• Public transportation that is accessible to all uses a variety of modes, and is well-integrated and reliable is essential to environmentally friendly transportation networks. Until we have a totally electric fleet, governments should keep investing in these technologies.
• The electrification of transportation requires the establishment of a network of charging stations in parking lots located in densely populated areas. There was a global increase of 43% in EV sales in 2020, to 3.2 million units, despite a pandemic and a slowing economy.
• Solutions for shared mobility aim to enhance the number of passengers carried by each vehicle, boost asset utilisation, and speed up the transportation of commuters.
• By resolving issues with first- and last-mile connections, micro-mobility solutions can broaden the range of transportation options available to city dwellers and encourage more people to take public transit.
• In the communities of the future, residents will be able to easily access the services and amenities they need thanks to the sustainable urban planning that has been implemented. Key examples include Roshn and the Line at NEOM in Saudi Arabia.

Governments should invest in fundamentals as well to support the five pillars. One such factor is infrastructure. They can do things like convert streets into bicycle lanes or install charge stations for electric vehicles. Technology is another factor since it can compile data from numerous forms of mobility and then use advanced analytics driven by AI and ML to shed light on things like traffic patterns, consumer trends, and emissions efficiency. Better government policy can incentivise specific habits or modes of transportation, such as raising the price of owning and operating a car and promoting the shift toward green and sustainable forms of transportation. Money is important, too. Future transportation networks can be financed through public-private cost-sharing programmes. Several countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made significant strides toward incorporating sustainability into their national development. The next step is to implement this strategy in the transportation industry. Improved sustainability results can be achieved by "inverting the mobility pyramid," making GCC cities more secure, healthier, and economically relevant for present and future generations of citizens.

Roadblock Ahead

Though the recent picture shown to the public might look very colourful and vibrant, achieving the set goal is not going to be a smooth ride. There is, however, another factor that is much more significant and one which can be seen gaining momentum over the past five years. This is the genuine, grassroots urge for change that wanes over the summer months but surges again in full force come September. Some of the most ecologically conscious people in the world live in the 'hype' communities of the Gulf, where people are accustomed to talking openly about global issues. And those residents, in turn, are eager to support government efforts to improve sustainability while also looking for opportunities to make personal contributions. Examples abound, such as the popularity of mass transit among tourists and the rise of electric cars and active mobility methods of transportation.

However, there is yet another impetus for natural development that complements environmental consciousness. The availability of alternate platforms and how well they meet travellers' needs at the beginning and end of their trips is a far more important variable to consider. After the lockdown, Dubai saw a significant increase in the number of people using e-scooters as their primary mode of transportation to and from work and a large increase in the number of people riding bicycles to get around outside of the normally tranquil recreational lane leading to Al Qudra. And there are a number of good reasons for this to be the case. Low-income people generally have lengthier commutes to work, so these platforms offer an affordable way to get there. As first and last-mile transport options, they connect public transit hubs to final destinations, easing a significant bottleneck in the present system. You can get from one place to another more quickly and easily than if you had to enter Sheikh Zayed Road, take the next exit, do a U-turn, and then sit in traffic.

Despite such a fruitful stride taken by the denizens, the system continues to ignore the people's concerns. This organic conveyance is having trouble getting its message across to the proper authorities. Companies in the micro-mobility and active mobility sectors are cannibalising each other, with some sectors being oversaturated with platforms while others are left behind entirely. There are more bike lanes than there are footpaths, and they are crowding out the latter. One new rule or law appears every few months that make it more difficult for people to ride e-scooters. Some building projects are being undertaken without considering the possibility of route disruptions.

The Voices Remained Unheard

The transportation pyramid needs to be turned upside down to counteract the pernicious impacts of car-centric planning. Better public transportation options and private green mobility platforms can only be achieved if the car culture is shaken up. Every portion of a city needs to have access to scooters, bicycles, and any other modes of transportation that may soon become mainstream. Instead of forcing pedestrians off the sidewalk, bike lanes should force cars off the road. A greater number of pedestrian crossings and pedestrian-only spaces are needed to make neighbourhoods more accessible by foot. There should be as few rules as possible for micromobility platforms. The time for half-measures is over; instead of viewing the disruption produced by bicycles and e-scooters on roads and highways as a problem, we should view it as a driver of positive change. Only by taking note of this disruption and formalising it will green mobility be possible in the future.