At the recent Data Forum on Addressing Statistical Challenges in the Transport Sector – "Moving Smarter: Data-Driven Transport for Inclusive Development," the Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) delivered a scene-setting presentation titled "State and Trends: Transport and Sustainability in Asia and the Pacific," Alvin Mejia, Co-Team lead of the ATO provided an overview of regional transport trends across access, emissions, safety, resilience, connectivity, and technology, drawing on ATO's multi-scalar databases covering national, urban, and policy-level indicators. It highlighted persistent gaps in transport access—particularly in public transport and rural connectivity—alongside accelerating emissions growth, rising climate risk exposure of transport infrastructure, and uneven progress on safety and decarbonization. The presentation also discussed methodological challenges in tracking transport-related SDG targets and outlined considerations for a future monitoring framework aligned with the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035).

Beyond the keynote, ATO joined panel discussions on "Bridging the Gaps – Data for Inclusive Transport Planning" and "Beyond the Roads – Harnessing Data to Measure Socioeconomic Impacts of Transport Investments." ATO highlighted the value of data integration, geospatial tools and innovative sources to inform more equitable and effective policies and investments.