According to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), developing nations are racing ahead of their richer counterparts in adopting eco-friendly transit solutions. Ahmedabad, India leads the pack, and was given the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award last week.

Since 2005, the award has been given out to cities that best use transport innovations to increase mobility for all residents, while reducing transportation greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions, as well as cyclist and pedestrian safety and access. This year, for the first time, all five nominees – Cali, Colombia; Curitiba, Brazil; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Johannesburg, South Africa, in addition to Ahmedabad – were cities in developing countries.

Environmentalists often express hopes that developing nations will leapfrog the United States and Europe by adopting the newer, greener technologies that are now available without ever becoming dependent on the older, more polluting ones that richer countries are currently struggling to transition away from. These five cities, the ITDP says, have done just that.

Ahmedabad got the nod for successfully implementing India’s first full bus rapid transit (BRT) system, dubbed Janmarg, or “people’s way.” Like other such systems around the world, it creates a dedicated lane for busses to speed their passage through congested streets, enticing riders who would otherwise be stuck in traffic. City residents have embraced the new system: 18,000 daily passengers use Janmarg to commute to work, school, and elsewhere. The city is making continued efforts to be a leader in sustainable transport, including incorporating high-quality pedestrian facilities in some corridors, as well as bicycle lanes.

In my opinion, this year’s Sustainable Transport Award nominees demonstrate the relevance of the developing world in the fight against climate change while improving citizen’s quality of life and enhancing their international competitiveness.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about green technology