Coloring the Future of Transportation

Green, environmentally friendly transportation and alternative technologies and fuels were burning topics in House of Sweden's program theme, Cars and Transportation. 
 
The program kicked off on January 12th with a seminar Coloring the Future of Transportation: A Trans-Atlantic Industry and Policy Forum on Green Transportation (Please see enclosed program for details).

The seminar, hosted by the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Trade Council, provided a forum for industry leaders and policy makers to come together and brainstorm viable solutions to the enormous challenges in bringing about sustainable change.

Issues discussed included:
– How do we most effectively use incentives and regulations to tackle environmental challenges while considering economical development?
– Are regional projects the most realistic way to decrease oil dependency, or do the EU and the U.S. federal governments need to create a unified solution?
– How can various government bodies and manufacturers collaborate to maximize and accelerate change?

Key speakers included: Maud Olofsson, Sweden’s minister for Enterprise and Energy and Deputy Prime Minister, Sweden, Leif Johansson, President of AB Volvo and CEO of the Volvo Group, Jan-Åke Jonsson, CEO, Saab Automobile, Dr. Alan C. Lloyd, President, International Council on Clean Transportation, Margo Tsirigotis Oge, Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, United States Environmental Protection Agency and Roscoe G. Bartlett, U.S. Congressman from Maryland.

The seminar wwas followed by the official opening of two exhibits Northern headLights: a Look at Sweden's Vehicle Industry and On the Road: Visual Perspectives on Travelling.

Time: January 12th, 2007, at 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Place: House of Sweden, 901 30th Street NW, Washington, DC

For more information:
Håkan Dahlfors, Swedish Trade Council
Phone: (312) 781-6215

Lisette Lindahl, Embassy of Sweden
Phone: (202) 467-2621 and

Anders J Ericson, Press Counselor, Embassy of Sweden
Phone: (202) 467-2655.

Press registration before January 9th to: larilyn.andre@foreign.ministry.se

Please save these dates:
January 23rd: Urban Transportation
March 6th: Traffic Safety