WORLDNET is a Framework 6 research project under the Scientific Support to Policies (SSP) initiative of the European Commission, Directorate General Energy and Transport. WORLDNET sets out to extend and refine the European Commission’s freight transport policy knowledge base, focusing on improving the representation of medium and long distance flows, the multi-modal aspects and the relationships between trade and the development of trans-national transport corridors.
By broadening the geographical scope and developing flow matrices and transport networks at this enlarged scale, WORLDNET can provide data and methodology for the TRANSTOOLS system and via cooperation with ITREN-2030 provide an integrated policy scenario and forecasting system.
Objectives of WORLDNET
The WORLDNET project perfectly encompasses the SSP-5 Call objective to deliver realistic solutions that support policy forecasting and facilitate the implementation of the European transport and energy policy measures and instruments. The strategic objective is to refine the European transport network model regarding freight and intermodal transport to and from the Rest of the world. This requires linking with the modelling and scenario work of the other task in this Call “Integration of energy and/of environmental components” and of TRANS-TOOLS and TRANSFORUM on-going studies.
Specific WORLDNET objectives include:
- Attain a more precise representation of the freight flows between European countries and the Rest of the world;
- Extend the network model to other world regions, subsequently to facilitate the use and uptake for direct use in the countries / regions involved;
- Seek an active participation from INCO target countries and / or international organisations interested in this action to draw a consistent, quantitative baseline for technology, transport, energy, environment and economic trends.
A key task of WORLDNET will be to implement a graphical communication tool, using internet based GIS technology, allowing users in other parts of the world to interact with and benefit of the knowledge of WORLDNET. The project will also aim to obtain information about development of EU transport patterns, and the impact on their own networks. The work will be carried out within the framework of existing platforms like TRANSFORUM or on an ad hoc basis.
