At the 23 September UN Climate Summit in New York, governments, transport companies and associations and civil society organizations are expected to set out how they intend to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
This can happen in several ways, for example, by expanding the use of public transportation, the greater use of more efficient rail transportation, and quickly introducing urban electric transport.
The following is likely to be taken forward in New York:
- An Urban Electric Mobility Vehicles Initiative to increase the global market share of electric vehicles in cities.
- A Low-Carbon Sustainable Rail Transport Challenge to decarbonize the rail sector and increase the number of rail passangers.
- An International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Declaration on Climate Leadership to double the market share of public transport around the world by 2025 and to strengthen resilience to climate change within cities and regions.
Why climate action in the transport sector is important
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the transportation sector relies heavily on oil, and already accounts for around a quarter of global energy-related carbon emissions.
Carbon emissions from transport could double by 2050 if climate action in the sector is not considerably stepped up.
Infographic by the University of Cambridge
There is also a compelling economic case for action. Many energy efficiency measures in the transport sector have a positive return on investment.
Improved aerodynamics and lighter vehicles, as well as engines of leading-edge standards, could cut energy consumption by 30–50 percent by 2030.
There are also substantial co-benefits of many emission reducing measures, which can offset some of the costs.
For example, more affordable and more accessible transport systems can increase productivity of the workforce by saving time spent during commuting, improve access to markets and jobs as well as support trade and competitiveness.
Infographic by the Asia Development Bank
What climate action in the transport sector means for the UN climate process
Action in the transport sector will play a major role in reaching the internationally agreed goal to limit the global average temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius.
The announcements made in New York can provide further impetus to the efforts of governments working to raise immediate climate ambition under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and for the universal climate agreement to be agreed in Paris in 2015.
The announcements can help governments prepare their “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions” to the 2015 agreement and strengthen the participation of non-State actors in tackling climate change, which can be further advanced in Technical Expert Meetings under the UNFCCC.
During a Technical Expert Meeting on Urban Environment in Bonn in 2014, governments, multilateral organizations and civil society organizations discussed how to step up investments in more sustainable transportation infrastructure and how to move towards less carbon intensive vehicles.
In addition, the UNFCCC secretariat’s Momentum for Change Initiative has been showcasing inspiring examples of low-carbon transport that can be replicated and scaled up in other countries, for example Bus Rapid Transit systems in India, China and Brazil and an initiative to introduce electric vehicles in Sri Lanka.
Read more about the action area of transport on the UN Climate Summit website.
