At the conclusion of the 11th APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting in Detroit, the United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg released a statement summarizing the substantive efforts made collectively by APEC transportation ministers towards a safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable recovery from the global pandemic.
Through his statement, Secretary Buttigieg reiterated the critical role that transportation plays in driving economic growth and opportunity, facilitating trade and investment, keeping supply chains open, secure, efficient and resilient, as well as improving connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region.
The statement noted the value of cooperation on supply chains and connectivity and stressed the need to support essential supply chain workforces.
Ministers recognized the role of the transportation sector in addressing climate change by pursuing the transition to new, cleaner and innovative transportation technologies - as well as the job-creation opportunities such a transition creates.
Specific and tangible actions were discussed during the meeting including catalyzing the transition towards low and zero emissions vehicles, facilitating the development of and the transition to sustainable aviation fuels as well as advancing low and zero emission maritime shipping and port decarbonization to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Ministers also underscored the importance of ensuring that transportation policies and infrastructure investments are inclusive, accessible and safe and lead to prosperity for all the people they represent. They reiterated their commitment to advance gender equality and greater integration and empowerment of women and girls of diverse background.
Also read: Secretary Buttigieg: Address Supply Chain Disruptions in Transportation and Connect Communities
