The Asian Transport Observatory Approach

Tracking Progress. Shaping Policies. Guiding Investments

The Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) is a leading regional platform for tracking transport progress across Asia and the Pacific. Since its inception, the ATO has strengthened the region’s transport knowledge base by consolidating comprehensive data and insights across themes, time horizons, and spatial scales. This integrated approach enables more informed transport policy and investment decisions throughout the region.

The "Asian Transport Observatory Approach" encapsulates the core principles that have guided ATO’s work, and its continued evolution. These principles follows the Avoid–Shift–Improve–Finance framework. These principles provide a practical foundation for monitoring transport progress. They are particularly relevant for advancing monitoring mechanisms to support regional or global initiatives such as the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035).

Avoid

We safeguard credibility by preventing biased or unbalanced data representation, relying only on verifiable sources, and promoting transparency without a blame-oriented approach.

Shift

We broaden the focus of monitoring to cover all dimensions of the transport sector. We link outcomes with policies, apply structured analytical frameworks, and provide benchmarking at regional, national, and urban levels.

Improve

We strengthen storytelling, expand and refine the data framework over time, build the capacity of data producers and users, and deepen partnerships across institutions and regions.

Finance

We support sustainable and flexible funding arrangements that ensure transport monitoring systems remain credible, adaptive, and responsive.

Through this approach, the ATO translates data into insights, policies, and investments for sustainable transport in Asia and the Pacific.