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Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal is running a special series over the 2009-2011 period on themes to be considered by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in its 18 th and 19 th sessions: chemicals, mining, sustainable consumption and production, transport and waste management.In this issue, experts address the question: "How can the stigma of public transport as the 'poor man's vehicle' be overcome to enhance sustainability and climate change mitigation?"The stigma -the disgrace -of public transport cannot be overcome until the conditions on which that epithet is based are changed.Throughout much of the world, public transport is not just a disgrace, it is despicable.This is due to the fact that the political class is able to ignore the interests of the poor who must rely on it.It need not be this way.The public transport systems of Paris, London, Moscow and other great European cities are marvellous and thoroughly democratic.People do not, and will not, use public transport for the purpose of enhancing sustainability or mitigating climate change.They use it because it is clean, safe, reliably punctual and cheaper than driving.This will require subsidies on a scale that match current subsidies to the private automobile (under-taxed gasoline priced below its marginal social costs).If the price of a litre of gasoline were indexed to the price of a double macchiato in each nation, the rich would quit their automobiles and use public transport.They would be appalled.But, tax proceeds from more expensive gasoline, coupled with their demands for higher-quality service, will very soon render public transport desirable.And from this, both the rich and poor will benefit.
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