A growing number of economy-wide net zero targets have been announced in recent years. Together they cover 94% of global CO2 emissions. What does this mean for the transport sector? And are sectoral commitments in NDCs in line with these long-term goals? A few weeks before the next COP in Dubai, a high-level panel discussion during the 6th Transport and Climate Change Week discussed how to set sufficient ambition to deliver bold new climate action and trigger transformative change?
The ocean is made out of drops – we all are drops in the ocean. If we all take care of our drop, we can save the world.
H.E. Ms. Doreen de Brum, Ambassador, Republic of the Marshall Islands
Based on numbers from the NDC Transport Tracker, this article takes a closer look at where we are today, refers to what has been discussed in Berlin and draws conclusions about the future needs. The NDC Transport Tracker from GIZ and the SLOCAT Partnership makes it possible to analyse what the NDCs say about transport.
Browse NDCs and LTS’ yourself: The NDC Transport Tracker
The NDC Transport Tracker, developed by GIZ and SLOCAT, is a tool to track the ambition of transport targets around the world. It provides insights into what other countries are aiming to achieve, i.e. what transport actions they have included in their NDCs and LTS, and how this is evolving over time. Results based on the tool have, for example, been used in the latest SLOCAT Transport, Climate and Sustainability Global Status Report – 3rd Edition. The tool also enables peer learning. Countries can check what others have already implemented or are planning to implement and contact their counterparts to discuss and learn from their experiences.
The fact that 101 countries, representing 80% of global CO2 emissions, have announced some form of net zero target shows growing awareness of the threat of global warming and political leadership. However, the NDCs do not yet show the necessary commitment to decarbonise transport.
The nature of net zero targets varies dramatically. Some are simply political announcements, while others have been translated into national legislation. In view of the long-term nature of the targets, making them legally binding is important for stability and continuity of political commitment.
Of the countries that have set a target year for going net zero, 61 have set it at 2050 or beyond. This is a long way off in terms of political election cycles and leaves plenty of room for ‘later’ action. But there is no room for late action, particularly in the transport sector.
Complete decarbonisation of the sector is not possible with a simple technology fix. It requires deep structural and transformative changes in the way people and goods move. Working on the avoid and shift elements is crucial to transform our cities into truly sustainable cities, as Minister Muñoz of Chile’s Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications stressed.
This means investing heavily in infrastructure, often taking many years to complete. But it also requires behavioural changes across the transport industry and among individuals. Efforts are needed to reduce travel and shift to more efficient modes, not only for cities and road transport, but also for maritime and air transport, according to Sergio Oliete Josa from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA).
Interim targets can increase ambition and facilitate the identification of effective policy options for the sector. They give direct responsibility to transport ministries. Climate change in general is often dealt with by environment ministries or specific climate change ministries, which do not have a decision-making mandate for transport policies.
However, responsibilities in the sector are often fragmented and fall under several ministries. It is important that those line ministries that make key decisions on transport policy and infrastructure have clear targets to work towards. Who these ministries are will depend on the national institutional set-up. This may mean that, in addition to general targets for the sector as a whole, specific targets are needed for individual sub-sectors. For example, if there is a separate ministry for rail transport.
So far, only 20 countries with net zero targets have also set a national greenhouse gas emission target for the transport sector and only 13 have set intermediate targets. Together, they cover only 9% of global and 12% of transport CO2 emissions. Once more, we see leadership from smaller, highly vulnerable countries such as Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles. Of the larger emitters, only Japan, the UK and Australia have set GHG targets for the sector.
A further 16 countries have set non-GHG targets for the transport sector. Most of these relate to the introduction of zero-emission vehicles and vehicle efficiency. Such targets can be useful tools to operationalise the more abstract GHG targets and help track progress. However, to ensure that they contribute adequately to the stated long-term goals, it is helpful to embed such non-GHG targets in a clear GHG reduction pathways with intermediate targets.
What ultimately matters is the actual implementation of policies and measures on the ground. Targets, both GHG and non-GHG, are tools to support this implementation, provide direction and enable progress to be monitored. So far, we see a lot of good will, but the implementation of policies and investments for transformation is lagging in most countries. However, it is encouraging that in the second round of NDCs 80 % include at least one mitigation action from the transport sector, which is a clear increase from the 67% in the first round.
The panellists at the Symposium ‘A Glimpse into the Future of Transport’ during Transport Week (transportweek.org) identified three critical points for implementing bold action in the transport sector:
Thailand is also a good example of how an NDC action plan can help to generate the necessary commitment from implementing bodies. Although not yet formally published, a draft was presented and discussed at the Asia regional exchange during Transport Week. Such action plans are essential to move from commitment to implementation and, once in place, will also help countries to develop concrete policies and measures and to better document climate actions in their NDCs.
We need to change behaviour… It is about being able to take action that is not necessarily good for me, but for mother earth – when you give a present to your mother you probably don’t do a cost-benefit-analysis of the present
Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications Chile
Tools such as the NDC Transport Tracker can inform this exchange and provide inspiration. But international partnerships are needed to create the confidence that implementation will be supported and that everybody is doing their homework. Transport and Climate Change Week 2023 was delivering peer networks for sustainable mobility (changing-transport.org) and created the confidence, that changing transport is feasible.
The Mobilize Net Zero project team is organising the Transport and Climate Change Week, alternating between a virtual and face-to-face format. It further maintains and updates the NDC Transport Tracker. The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and is funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
“Transport Data: From MRV to Action” is an innovative and entertaining online course about the Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector. The course empowers participants to design and implement MRV systems for transport sector. It also imparts knowledge on data collection and transparency, and the importance of MRV systems for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Packed with a wealth of information, our self-paced online course can be completed according to your individual schedule.
Gaining knowledge and enhancing skills for your profession is critical and a hard job – attending trainings require time, you must follow a strict schedule and the work emails are piling up in parallel. The exchange with peers about similar challenges and learn from their solutions is crucial, but due to time zone differences and other obligations it becomes hardly possible. So, what is crucial to build a global community of experts?
Especially as urgent scale up of NDCs and implementation of a robust MRV system in this critical decade is needed to keep global warming below 1.5 Celsius degrees.
Therefore, the changing-transport team created a free online course on MRV for Transport, also called “Transport Data: From MRV to Action”. Building upon our experience from several in-person and online trainings on MRV in Africa, Asia and Latin America since 2017, we created this self-paced course for those who are new to the job in implementing the NDC measures in transport, but also for those how are technical advanced and want to re-fresh their knowledge on international requirements and want learn from their peers in over 14 case studies and 6 lectures from our network and partner countries. You can check out the online course playlist here.
The course is designed for government officials working in transport or climate policy, including in particular individuals concerned with emissions reporting. However, the course is also available to all interested parties. Whether you’re an environmental enthusiast, a sustainability professional, a transportation planner, a government official, a student, or simply curious about the impact of transport on climate change, this course is for you!
While working through the modules, you will
Completing this course will empower you to calculate GHG emissions and prioritise policy measures for decarbonising transport systems. The course is approved by the UNFCCC and the certificate will help you to demonstrate your skills within and outside of your organisation.
And learners are not alone: the two fictional characters Ms. Taraji Noor, a senior transport expert, and Mr. Tuan Đặng, Ministry of Transport Official, supporting through the course, highlighting important information and guide through the exercises and games. With passing the final exam learners can get a certificate in the end of the course.
In the first roll-out of the online course, we gave the opportunity to meet the course instructors in a live online event. Read more about it here.
The online course is on atingi, a free learning platform financed by the German ministry for Deveelopment Cooperation. Discover more about the online course here. For more information download the course flyer here, and a content overview and course calender here. The course calendar can be used to schedule your e-learning.
You can find more tools and guidance in the Transparency Toolkit and additional information below:
Transport Week 2023
From 11 to the 15 September, the 6th edition of the Transport and Climate Change Week took place in the German capital Berlin. Once again, the GIZ team has brought forward the Transport Week as a central meeting point and platform for counterparts and partners of GIZ projects from the five continents. Exchanging ideas and working together to address the challenges of sustainable transport is urgently needed to build confidence in the transformation of transport.
After two years of virtual and hybrid formats due to the pandemic, Transport Week 2023 returned to its original face-to-face format, facilitating meaningful networking and peer learning among delegates. With about 250 participants in 5 days, coming from 32 different countries, 30 sessions and more than 50 speakers, this year’s event marked a significant milestone for enhancing collaboration and establishing partnerships on sustainable mobility.
The event brought together experts and practitioners from the Global South from government departments and cities cooperating with Germany. Several GIZ projects funded by the German government’s International Climate Initiative (BMWK and BMUV), but also other donors such as the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Mitigation Action Facility, Switzerland and the European Union (DG INTPA) contributed to its success.
With a renewed focus on face-to-face interaction, the heart of Transport Week 2023 revolved around five key objectives, each of which shaped the daily agenda and discussions.
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In the middle of the week, a symposium opened by Stefan Wenzel, Secretary of State at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director of GIZ, convened a panel of distinguished guests, including Juan Carlos Muñoz, Chile’s Minister of Transport, and Doreen de Brum, Ambassador of the Marshall Islands to the EU. They were joined by panellists from Thailand, South Africa and the European Commission. The symposium provided a platform to discuss the critical role of international cooperation in achieving net-zero emissions.
Transport and Climate Change Week 2023 was not just an expert conference; it was a peer learning event that embodied the spirit of collaboration and innovation. All participants emphasised the importance of personal connections, fostering networking and inspiring transformative change.
Demonstrating how to integrate multiple projects and stakeholders was key to success. One of the concrete outcomes was the signing of Letters of Intent between Peru, Mexico and Colombia to strengthen cooperation. African countries built a strong foundation for a community of practice, and Asia used peer coaching to discuss specific challenges and jointly identify opportunities to transform transport.
Transport Week 2023 was part of a longer journey. Participants will use what they learn to work together and continue to transform transport. Regional conferences in Latin America and Asia, as well as a virtual Transport Week in September/October 2024, will keep participants in touch. The next face-to-face Transport Week in Berlin is planned for the end of September 2025. With climate targets and NDCs due to be updated in 2025, there will be plenty of new experiences to share and international partnerships to build on.
The Mobilize Net Zero project team is organising the Transport and Climate Change Week, alternating between a virtual and face-to-face format. The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and is funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
In the realm of the transport sector, Lulu Xue, an experienced Urban Mobility Manager at WRI China with over a decade in the field, is making waves by addressing transportation challenges with a unique blend of passion and purpose.
In a world where the call for change resonates louder than ever, there are those among us who stand as beacons of hope and action, driven by an unyielding belief in making a profound impact on society. Lulu Xue’s journey is a testament to the power of dedication in the transport sector, where every project becomes a stepping stone toward building a better future for us all.
Lulu’s career in urban mobility is driven by her unwavering desire to make a tangible impact. Long before becoming Urban Mobility Manager at WRI China for more than a decade, since studying she has already believed that the transport sector holds the key to effecting positive change in the world.
Choosing to work in the transport sector was a deliberate decision for her, as she once stated,
I want to make an impact, and the transport sector is where I see that potential.
Lulu Xue, Urban Mobility Manager at WRI China
Among the numerous projects that have defined her career, one stands out as the pinnacle of her dedication is, the Technical Assistance to China’s National Transit Metropolis Demonstration Program. This national initiative aimed to prioritize transit systems and enhance public transportation in Chinese cities. Lulu and her team played an instrumental role in providing technical assistance to four pilot cities over four years, a project of immense scale and reward. Despite opposition from government entities resistant to change, their persistence and approach showcased international best practices and highlighted the advantages of transit systems like BRT.
Lulu’s current mission, the NDC TIA China Initiative, is nothing short of profound. Not only to support the development of a transport GHG and air pollutants strategy, through this project, she seeks to establish a robust statistical data system, a critical component of transportation planning in China. While it poses significant challenges, Lulu remains resolute in her belief that this endeavor holds the key to transformative solutions in the sector.
She discussed her experience in a male-dominated sector, like transportation, where she confronted challenging gender norms that frequently hindered progress while outlining her ambitions. She agrees that building a strong team takes work and that cultural customs like bonding over wine are frequently used to accomplish this. However, not all women find these activities to be comfortable.
Despite these hurdles, Lulu encourages women to recognise their unique talents and capabilities, dispelling stereotypes about their abilities in engineering or science. Drawing from her own experiences in a less empowering environment, she underscores the importance of cultivating a growth mindset and highlights women’s potential to excel not only in the transportation sector but in various fields.
We, as women, can evolve and excel not only in the transportation sector but in various fields.
Lulu Xue, Urban Mobility Manager at WRI China
Lulu’s journey through the dynamic world of urban mobility serves as an inspiration for all. Her unwavering commitment to impact, inclusivity, and transformative change underscores the potential for individuals to drive progress in even the most challenging environments. As she continues to navigate her path, she remains a beacon of hope and empowerment for women in the transport sector and beyond.
The upcoming Africa Climate Summit 2023 is set to be a decisive gathering that will take place from the 4th to the 6th of September in Nairobi, Kenya. This event will bring together leaders from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from governments, businesses, international organizations, and dedicated members of civil society, to underline the importance of a singular message: the urgent need to advance green growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the global community.
GIZ will be co-hosting the side event “Co-Investing in Leapfrogging to Sustainable Transport, including E-Mobility” together with the Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport, UNDP, and Agora Verkehrswende. This joint event aims to serve as a catalyst for a much-needed dialogue that seeks to engage African leaders and influential changemakers on financial mechanisms and opportunities for advancing sustainable transport in Africa.
Date: 4 September 2023
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (East African Time)
Location: Kenya House, Africa Climate Summit, Nairobi
Below, we present an overview of the various events scheduled as part of the African Climate Summit 2023 related to the theme of sustainable transportation.
| Event | Informations (all times in EAT) |
| E-mobility Parade Organizer: Electric Mobility Association of Kenya More information here | Date: 3 September 2023 Time: 8:00am -12:00pm Venue: City Hall – KICC – Langata rd – Nairobi National Park gate – Langata Link road – Ngong rd – Green Park terminus |
Climate and Mobility * | Date: 4 September 2023 Time: 11:30 -12:30 PM Venue: SE 1 |
| Electric Mobility Industry Roundtable (Emobility 1) Organizer: Africa E-Mobility Alliance | Date: 4 September 2023 Time: 12:30 -2:30 PM Venue: SE 3 (132) |
| Co-investing in Leapfrogging to Sustainable Transport including E-Mobility (Emobility 2) Organizer: Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport, GIZ, UNDP, Agora Verkehrswende, Siemens Stiftung More information here | Date: 4 September Time 2:00 – 3:00 PM Venue: Kenya House |
| Integrated Liveable African Cities Panel 2: Financing and Investing in Green Transport Organizer: ITDP | Date: 4 September 2023 Time: 3: 45- 5:15 PM |
| Ministerial Sesion: Investing in Green Transport in Africa (Parallel 5c) Organizer: ITDP More information here | Date: 4 September 2023 Time: 4:30- 6:00 PM Venue: Lenana Room, KICC |
| Leaders Breakfast: Green Infrastructure Investment for Corridor Development in Africa Organizer: AUDA-NEPAD | Date: 5 September 2023 Time: 7. 00- 8: 00 AM Venue: SE 1 |
| Accelerating Decarbonization in African Logistics: The role of the provate sector in collaboration Organizer: Smart Freight Center | Date: 5 September 2023 Time: 8:00- 9:00 AM Venue: SE 2 |
| Ensuring universal access to mobility as African countries embrace E-Mobility Organizer: Movin´On | Date: 5 September 2023 Time: 12:00- 1:00 PM Venue: SE 4 |
| Financing Climate resilient infrastructure and Green Transition in Africa: PIDA Organizer: AUDA-NEPAD | Date: 5 September 2023 Time: 14:00-15:00 PM Venue: AU Pavilion |
| Designing and enabling environment for Green Transport in Africa (E-Mobility 3 & 4) Organizer: Africa E-Mobility Alliance | Date: 6 September 2023 Time: 8:00- 10:00 AM Venue: SE 4 (132) |
| Accelerating Emobility: Empowering Sustainable Urban Transportation in Kenya with smart Bicycle Infrastructure Organizer: Bike is best Kenya Entreprise | Date: 6 September 2023 Time: 11:00- 11-30 AM Venue: SE 5 |
Some of the events at the summit will be available via the livestream here! You will find more information on the Africa Climate Summit website.
This years Africa Climate Week is organized in parallel to the Africa Climate Summit. Taking place from 4-8 September 2023 in Nairobi, the Regional Climate Week for the African continent presents a rich prpgramme. Sustainable transport is very well represented with events about railway development, freight, e-mobility, informal transport and more.
| Event | Informations (all times in EAT) |
| Electric railway development in Africa – an opportunity for climate finance | Date: 4 September Time 12:30 – 13:00 PM Venue: Climate Activation Livestream |
| Green Rail Corridors: the role of railways in protecting and enhancing biodiversity in Africa Organizer: UIC, KRC, TRC, SETRAG | Date: 5 September 2023 Time: 13:15-13:45 PM Venue: Climate Activation Livestream |
| Driving Electric Mobility in Africa: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges Organizer: Mazi Mobility, Electric Mobility Association of Kenya | Date: 6 September 2023 Time: 17:00-17:30 PM Venue: Climate Activation Livestream |
| Connecting Informal Transport to the Climate Agenda Organizer: WRI, SLOCAT, GNPT, TUMI, Climate Champions Team | Date: 7 September 2023 Time: 10:30 – 11:30 AM Venue: Amphi Caucus 2 Livestream |
| Mobilizing climate finance through innovative business and financing models for e-mobility shift in Ghana Organizer: UNEP, Government of Ghana | Date: 7 September 2023 Time: 10:30 – 11:30 AM Venue: Atlas Mountain Livestream |
| Transforming Mobility in Africa: Collective transport as the Climate solution Organizer: UIC, UITP, SLOCAT, WALK21, KRC | Date: 7 September 2023 Time: 12:00 – 13:00 AM Venue: Atlas Mountain Livestream |
| Enabling innovative solutions for clean mobility in African cities Organizer: Uber, Uber Utopia | Date: 7 September 2023 Time: 14:45 – 15:15 PM Venue: Climate Activation Livestream |
| Decoupling growing freight transport from CO2 emissions – a regional perspective Organizer: Kühne Foundation, CCTTFA, NCTTCA, Trade Mark Africa, UNEP, GIZ | Date: 8 September 2023 Time: 10:30 – 11:30 AM Venue: Mount Nimba Livestream |
| Sustainable Green Transport Initiatives in Africa Organizer: African Development Bank | Date: 8 September 2023 Time: 12:00 – 13:00 AM Venue: Atlas Mountain Livestream |
| Achieving a decarbonized and resilient infrastructure system in Africa: the role of transport Organizer: UNFCCC, UNEP, SLOCAT, ITF | Date: 8 September 2023 Time: 13:30 – 15:00 PM Venue: Aberdares Hall Livestream |
If you are interested in learning more about sustainable transport in Africa, have a look at our latest publication “Leapfrogging into Sustainable Transport in Africa. Twelve Insights into the Continent’s Sector Transformation” and check out the activities planned for the Rethinking Transport project.
Celebrating a momentous achievement, the Metropolitan Region of Santiago recently welcomed its 2,000th electric bus into the Metropolitan Public Transport Network. This landmark accomplishment not only signifies progress in adopting cleaner technology but also underscores Chile’s commitment to transforming its transport sector and tackling emissions head-on.
While Santiago’s electrification efforts shine brightly, the broader national landscape reveals disparities that need attention. Extending the benefits of electromobility beyond the capital remains a challenge, with critical gaps yet to be addressed in other cities.
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Chile has set an ambitious goal of electrifying 100% of its urban public transport fleets by 2040, aligning with its National Electromobility Strategy. This commitment holds promise, as electric transport promises safer, more comfortable, and environmentally friendly journeys. Santiago has pioneered electromobility strategies, fostering partnerships between public and private entities to create a sustainable framework that involves diverse stakeholders.
Electric buses comprise 31% of the capital’s public transport fleet, with an ongoing tender set to increase this number significantly. However, the situation beyond Santiago’s borders contrasts starkly – currently, electric buses make up 0% of public transport in other regions. While tenders are underway to introduce electric fleets to multiple cities, substantial progress lies ahead.
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In collaboration with the Chilean Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, Public Transport Directorate (DTPR for its name in Spanish), and Energy Sustainability Agency, GIZ developed a capacity-building initiative for regional public transport operators. This comprehensive program imparted crucial technical and operational insights, facilitating a smooth transition to electric transport systems and fostering design and technology implementation adaptation.
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Over 170 operators and 37 officials from regional transport secretariats engaged in the ten workshops across Chile. Four modules covered technical aspects, charging management, operational insights, and electromobility business models. The curriculum was crafted following insightful diagnostics involving stakeholders from various sectors, ensuring the training aligns with practical needs.
In addition to local training, 28 operators embarked on an Electromobility Tour to Santiago. This two-day event featured training sessions and networking opportunities with key players in the electromobility ecosystem, including energy suppliers, bus manufacturers, and financiers.
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The tour included visits to two electro terminals – Metbus and STP from the Metropolitan Network. This allowed operators to engage with professionals managing the services, explore facilities, and gain an in-depth understanding of operations.
As Chile advances towards a sustainable future, initiatives like these illuminate the path to a cleaner, more efficient transport landscape.
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The Moving Chile project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and is funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
GIZ is currently running a call for a first “Rethinking Transport Lab”, an exciting initiative designed to promote creativity, innovation and collaboration between transport stakeholders in Africa. These Labs, along with other related activities under the Rethinking Transport initiative, represents a new approach for GIZ, focusing on strengthening personal and professional networks rather than just institutional capacity building. Discover how networking could serve as a driving force for progress in Africa’s transport sector.
Africa’s development needs are becoming more urgent owing to the effects of climate change, rapid population growth and lifestyle changes. These factors are placing heightened financial demands on the continent, exacerbating the challenges faced by African nations that are still in the process of recovering from the recent global pandemic. While aid continues to play a crucial role in building capacity, leveraging resources, and achieving targeted outcomes, it is evident that African leaders must explore alternative approaches to traditional development strategies. This includes engaging actively with private sector investments, promoting domestic resource mobilization, as well as exploring debt relief and restructuring options. These strategies, in conjunction with robust partnerships and collaborations, will be vital in leveraging resources, sharing knowledge, and implementing effective solutions to meet the increasing financial demands and drive progress across the continent.
Transport plays a vital role in driving economic growth, facilitating trade, and fostering community connections. However, it is a key contributor to raising CO2 emissions: 29 % of total CO2 emissions from the combustion of coal, crude oil, and natural gas are attributable to the transport sector, and most of that comes from road vehicles[i]. Although Africa’s contribution is smaller, emission trends on the continent call for immediate action. Greening the sector will therefore play a significant role in combating climate change and boosting Africa’s development [ii].
The influential Kofi Annan emphasizes that “partnerships can lead to sustainable structural change” on the continent. As such partnerships often emerge from networking, it is crucial to explore the immense potential that networking among African transport practitioners and organizations could offer to revolutionize and greening the transport and mobility sector in Africa.
Scientific evidence and principles firmly support the potential benefits of networking among individuals and organizations. The field of social network analysis offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how relationships and interactions between entities can foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving.
Numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to transport services, and inefficient systems, hinder progress in the transport sector[iiiii], which is vital fro Africa’s economic and social development. For instance, studies have shown that poor road, rail and port facilities add 30% to 40% to the costs of goods traded among African countries, thus adversely affecting the private sector development and the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI).
Furthermore, traffic congestion is a prevalent issue in many African cities, hampering economic productivity, causing tremendous air pollution and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Networking among African transport practitioners could offer a promising avenue to overcome these obstacles and unlock the full potential of Africa’s transport and mobility landscape.
To maximize the impact of networking in the transport sector, it is essential to establish synergies with donor activities. This linkage can forge a mutually beneficial relationship, leading to enhanced impact and effectiveness in addressing the transport sector’s challenges. Donors have long played a crucial role in providing financial support, technical expertise, and policy guidance to advance development goals in Africa.
For instance, the Rethinking Transport in Africa project actively supports the development of positions and strategies for the sustainable transformation of the transport sector on the African continent. The project aims to bring together stakeholders from academia, civil society, and the private sector, to foster an inclusive and collaborative environment for knowledge sharing and networking. Such initiatives therefore contribute to aligning efforts, pooling resources, and leveraging expertise to address the challenges faced by the transport sector. Here are some key approaches to integrating networking with donor initiatives:
In a nutshell, networking appears to be an essential tool for reshaping Africa’s transport sector, unlocking new opportunities, driving innovation, and paving the way for sustainable and inclusive mobility. Financial support will be vital in harnessing its full potential, with initiatives that facilitate collaboration, resource mobilization, and knowledge exchange. As we move forward, it is imperative to prioritize funding mechanisms that incentivize collaboration, support knowledge exchange, and enhance capacity building.
Let’s embrace the power of networking, cultivate strong partnerships, and work collectively to build a transport ecosystem that serves the needs of the people, fosters economic growth, and enhances the quality of life for all Africans.
Daniel Bongardt
Interested to become part of a network of African transport practitioners to engage in the sustainable future of transport across the continent? Check out the Rethinking Transport Labs, that aim to bring together 30 African practitioners to exchange and connect about key topics for sustainable transport. If you are looking for like-minded people, this LinkedIn Group provides opportunities to get in touch online with practitioners from across Africa.
[i] Granovetter M. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380. https://doi.org/10.1086/225469
[ii] Agora Verkehrswende and GIZ (2023): Leapfrogging to Sustainable Transport in Africa. Twelve Insights into the Continent’s Sector Transformation.
[iii] Burt RS (2004) Structural holes and good ideas. Am J Sociol. https://doi.org/10.1086/421787
[iiii] Uzzi B, Spiro J (2005) Collaboration and creativity: the small world problem. Am J Sociol 111(2):447–504
[iiiii] World Bank. (2020). Africa’s Pulse, No. 21: An Analysis of Issues Shaping Africa’s Economic Future. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33541 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO
The “Rethinking Transport – Connecting for African Solutions” project is funded the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH own ressources. The project is implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the German think tank Agora Verkehrswende.
Emissions from the transport sector are a major challenge for Morocco, as they are for many countries around the world. With almost 30% of total CO2 emissions and 38% of final energy consumption, transport is one of the main areas where decisive action is needed. As part of Moroccan climate strategy, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, with the support of GIZ, has engaged since 2020 in a process of data analysis related to land transport, gaining thereby a more accurate knowledge of its CO2 emissions. The main results will be useful to shape Morocco’s future policies.
A local working group has been working for months on collecting, treating and analysing the relevant transport data. As huge databases (mainly vehicle registrations and inspection) with millions of lines were obtained, an open-source code on python for the automatic cleaning and treatment of the data was programmed during the project. The code was handed over to the Ministry of Transport and the National Road Safety Authority (NARSA).
The process:
To share and discuss the results, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics organised a workshop in Rabat. More than 30 stakeholders from the transport Moroccan community attended the event, including the relevant ministries and agencies, as well as various data providers and users.
During the workshop, participants were able to familiarise themselves with the bottom-up approach, which consists of assessing GHG emissions based on transport activity. Unlike the top-down approach, which calculates emissions on the basis of national energy consumption, this methodology provides information on the emissions of each category of vehicle, depending on their number, fuel consumption, distances travelled and fuel type.
Top-down v. bottom-up approach:
After a long process of data collection and processing, the IFEU experts commissioned by GIZ to carry out the bottom-up inventory and provide technical training to the Moroccan experts presented the main results of this work.
The analysis showed that total emissions from Moroccan road and rail transport represented 22.9 million tonnes of CO2 from “well to wheel” and 19.7 million tonnes of CO2 from “tank to wheel”. On a per capita basis, this is equivalent to 0.6 tonnes per inhabitant.
Almost half of the emissions are generated by private cars (48.9%) and 35% from trucks.
The analysis also showed that public transport is more energy-efficient: between 20 and 27g CO2e/pkm for buses and trains, compared with 120.6 g CO2e/pkm for cars.
Finally, comparing results between bottom-up and top-down methods revealed a difference in values of 4 to 10% greater for the bottom-up approach.
After fruitful discussions on the results, the participants engaged in an interactive and reflective exchange on the future of the MRV (monitoring, reporting and verification) system with the purpose of empowering stakeholders and creating functional working relationships.
It emerged that most of the participants were interested in continuing the inventory and would be willing to take part in it either as data provider and/or user. They also worked on a possible timeline for the next inventory, stressing the need to feed the results into the national GHG inventory system.
The Advancing Transport Climate Strategies (TraCS) project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
A new challenge emerges: Heatwaves, flooded streets, and congestion have already become a reality in Thailand. Global climate change, a significant worldwide concern, has already made its presence felt in Bangkok and other regions of the country. In order to combat the climate crisis, the Thai Government has submitted the Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 8 November 2022. This strategy outlines the country’s vision to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2065. Currently, the nation is actively working on updating its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with a new ambitious target for mitigating emissions.
The new NDC target for transportation aims to achieve a 30-40% reduction compared to Business as Usual (BAU), which has been raised from the initial target of 20-25%. The NDC Action Plan is vital in establishing the framework of measures for its mitigation goal in 2030. The accomplishment of the plan can provide a sound basis for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of a measure, which can be scaled up into a policy in the Long-Term Low Greenhouse Development Strategy, aiding Thailand in achieving its goals in the long term.
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has established the 1st working group for the revision of the NDC action plan with transport-related organizations. Alongside the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), OTP is co-organising a series of workshops involving representatives from 25 agencies to explore appropriate mitigation measures and prioritize initiatives for a more environmentally friendly and robust transportation sector in alignment with Thailand’s objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero emissions by 2065.
Mr. Surapong Meantmitr, Deputy Director of OTP, presided over the workshop’s opening ceremony on Wednesday, 3 May, 2023. Dr. Dominika Kalinowska, Director of the Transport Sector Project for Thailand/ASEAN GIZ, emphasized the technical support that GIZ and the national expert team will provide for the NDC action plan. The workshop gathered representatives from 25 relevant agencies with almost 100 participants, including internal and external stakeholders associated with the Ministry of Transport.
The challenge is huge, but it is feasible as long as we examine not only the identified reduction measures but put equal emphasis on the analysis of the methodological and other gap sand requirements that are needed for a more advanced policy framework assessment and design, but still have to be developed.
Dr. Dominika Kalinowska, Director of the Transport Sector Project Thailand/ ASEAN
During the workshop, Mrs. Chutinthorn Mankhong, Head of the Sustainable Transport Promotion Group at the Bureau of Safety Plans, provided an overview of the country’s GHG reduction initiatives and outlined plans to decrease emissions in the transport sector. She also stated that the workshop enhances the understanding of participating organisations about suitable mitigation actions.
To be in line with Thailand’s new NDC and LT-LEDS goal, brainstorming opinions from relevant agencies for the improvement and update of the current NDC action plan in the transport sector is crucial.
The workshop’s participants provided insights into the strategic actions to be taken, the timelines for their implementation, and these results will be taken as the basis for updating GHG emission reduction mitigation potential of the revised NDC Action Plan. By enhancing understanding, reviewing existing actions, and prioritising initiatives, the workshop has laid the foundation for a greener, more resilient transport sector that aligns with the urgent need to combat climate change.
Read more about the projects from Thailand here.
This activity is funded by three projects: 1) Climate, Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Project: (CCMB), 2) NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA), 3) Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC).
NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. It supports China, India, and Viet Nam as well as regional and global decarbonisation strategies to increase the ambition around low-carbon transport.
The growing transport sector unfolds new working opportunities for women from various fields. At Changing Transport we highlight the arduous work of them in this sector. This is Mega Kusumaningkatma’s story on how she started her career in transport despite of coming from a business background.
Mega started her career in 2018 at an international think-tank that focuses on clean transport. She worked as a consultant for vehicle emission standards and electric vehicle deployment in Indonesia, where she provided advice and science-based policy recommendations for public transport authorities.
Later in her carreer, Mega expressed her gratitude to her employer who offered extensive and productive training, access to international conferences on the advancement of transport technology. She recounted that her mentor opened up more opportunities for her when she began her career in transport. Initially, she had never planned to be involved in the transport sector as her background in accounting and management was a far cry from technical fields. However, the transport sector posed an exciting challenge: a promising long-term career in road transport.
The transport sector has become more complex over the years. A field that was once solving only the movement of people and goods now tackles problems on different fronts. In society, it has the potential to promote healthy living, a better environment, and a more human-scaled community. In governance, it promotes transparency and accountability in managing taxpayers’ money.
These areas will still be growing amidst economic and environmental challenges in the current world situation. It needs to involve extensive knowledge and diverse approaches. Hence, various competencies and cross-functional collaboration with multiple stakeholders are needed. For example, as observed in the Council for Decarbonising Transport in Asia, council members involved come from different fields of expertise such as energy, air quality, and land policy.
Mega explained that the road transport sector, for example, requires a vast range of skills, expertise, and academic backgrounds, from transport technology to socio-politics in transport-related issues.
The transport sector involves never-ending learning. Its value stems from its close links with geopolitics, high-level negotiations, and the sovereignty of the country. This is why it is not limited to those with an engineering background because it challenges everyone.
Mega Kusumaningkatma
People in the transport sector must always be watchful of incoming opportunities, particularly at high-level meetings such as The Group of Twenty (G20), which was held in Bali in 2022. The meeting gave rise to many ideas for improvement.
Mega’s experiences show that the transport sector is a field that constantly demands workers to upgrade their skills, expertise, agility, and cleverness. There is no room for repetition, so people should be creative in this sector.
In a dynamic transport sector, workers need to be well-prepared, diligent, innovative, and agile in keeping up with the latest trends, such as technological innovations, governmental regulations, and policy changes. They must also quickly adapt to changes within the industry, stay well-informed of international discussions in the media and civil society organisations, and contextualise international transport matters within the domestic context.
Up to this point, Mega has been independently learning about public policy processes, regulations, roadmaps, and sustainable development goals (SDGs). She also pays special attention to topics such as vulnerable groups (women and children, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and the elderly), the government’s political commitments, and urban planning. These issues are crucial in the road transport sector and should be mastered by researchers in the industry, even without direct assignment from employers and stakeholders.
Remember that without challenges, there is no room for growth. The transport sector has a sufficient number of competitive players, both leaders and customers. Therefore, we constantly need to push ourselves to set higher standards. As the world evolves, so does the transport sector, and we need to align with this trend.
Mega Kusumaningkatma
Her call for women is to emphasise the importance of mentorship since a mentor is someone who can guide women towards their goals and achievements.
NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. It supports China, India, and Viet Nam as well as regional and global decarbonisation strategies to increase the ambition around low-carbon transport.
Jane’s Walk is an international event which celebrates active mobility and the exploration of urban spaces. This empowering event took place this year from 5 to 7 May across 10 cities in 5 countries. It brought together diverse communities to experience the beauty and potential of active transportation. In cities such as Melbourne, Davao, Baguio, Manila, Pasig City, Jakarta, Bandung, Solo, Ho Chi Minh, and Bangkok, participants embarked on a remarkable journey, discovering the joys of walking while embracing their surroundings.
The walk in each city encompassed a variety of themes, ranging from exploring historical landmarks to indulging in culinary delights, and even discovering their ways around the campus. Each city embraced a unique approach to the event, with some choosing to kick off the festivities in the morning, while others chose an evening start. After the walk, participants engaged in discussions session, sharing their experiences, and gaining valuable insights from others.
The event demonstrates that walking is an accessible form of activity. People from various backgrounds, ages, genders, and abilities who participate in each city add to the interest of this activity by sharing their walking experiences.
People were motivated to join this event for various reasons, and one of them is the belief that walking allows a more immersive exploration of their surroundings. For instance, in Davao, participants discovered that the routes they traversed were surprisingly walkable, opening their eyes to the possibilities of active transportation within their city. Additionally, the event provided locals in Surakarta the opportunity to experience public transport for the first time, offering a new perspective on their city. Interestingly, in Bandung, a few participants, particularly students, found themselves unfamiliar with the area and its routes, highlighting the importance of events like Jane’s Walk in familiarising individuals with their surroundings.
During the discussion about the factors that influence their decision to walk, most of them mentioned the poor quality of the pedestrian facilities and the challenging weather. For instance, it has been stated by participants in Ho Chi Min’s walk that numerous sidewalks were used to park motorised vehicles. While during the walk in Bangkok, some people think that the government sidewalk still falls short in terms of quality and cleanliness when compared to those provided by private properties.
The fact that each user’s walking experience differs from the next must be noted. One of the highlights is that most of the participants, who were women, shared that they do not feel safe walking alone, especially at night when there is a lack of lighting, and that they would rather walk on a busy street without proper sidewalks than in a quiet area with the sidewalk.
Every city offers interesting details to consider. Baguio appears to represent many of Jane Jacob’s ideas about downtown, while Ortigas as part of Pasig City showed the complete opposite with one of the routes explored showing no connectivity between the sidewalk and the attraction.
If we go by the book, it could work perfectly for the people around the area
Philip Peckson, Host of the walks in Baguio and Pasig City
Participants in the Jakarta’s walk agreed that removing the barriers was a means to encourage people to walk and use public places more freely after observing a number of changes that took place at several stops that were passed by.
With this in mind, the Jane’s Walk 2023: WE MOVE organised by Women on The Move, Women in Transport Leadership and in collaboration with local communities in each city, was successful in presenting perspectives on walkability regarding the surrounding based on what participants have experienced daily and during the walk.
This event empowers people everywhere around the world to go out and experience their city by foot. Let’s walk more!
NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. It supports China, India, and Viet Nam as well as regional and global decarbonisation strategies to increase the ambition around low-carbon transport.
African countries currently contribute only 3.8% of global CO2 emissions, but their emissions are increasing rapidly, particularly in the transport sector. In Africa, the transport sector accounts for about one-third of the continent’s total energy-related CO2 emissions, or 346 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2. By comparison, Germany emits about 160 Mt of CO2. But unlike Germany, Africa’s emissions are growing rapidly.
This momentum threatens to erode the gains made in climate policy around the world. Factors such as urbanisation, infrastructure investment and growing mobility needs are driving this growth. However, there are opportunities for Africa to leapfrog to sustainable transport through global trends in electrification, renewable energy and digital innovation.
The term “turnaround” or “transport revolution” (German term “Verkehrswende”) is not appropriate in the African context. Despite low motorisation rates and negligible per capita transport emissions, these statistics are mainly the result of low incomes and limited access to affordable motorised transport options.
Addressing these issues requires avoiding the pitfalls of transport development seen in the Global North. If African countries can avoid future greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector without compromising economic development, leapfrogging to sustainable transport will be possible. The focus should therefore be on changing the trajectory of the development and expansion of mobility systems, rather than a complete turnaround.
Considering the diversity and complexity of the continent and the issue at hand, it is essential that the dialogue takes place within Africa itself, rather than being dictated from outside. Nevertheless, European actors have a responsibility because of their high historical emissions and the consequences of colonisation. The following considerations serve as an invitation to engage with stakeholders committed to the design of sustainable transport systems, looking at three dimensions:
By 2050, Africa’s population is espected to reach 2.5 billion, with 1.5 billion living in cities and 1 billion in rural areas. This will lead to a significant increase in demand for mobility. Social justice is critical to transforming the sector, as rural areas face challenges in accessing basic services. The uncontrolled growth of informal settlements in cities further exacerbates the lack of necessary services. Orienting urban growth along sustainable public transport corridors can help prevent many transport problems.
Walking as well as informal buses and taxis, known by various names such as Daladalas, Matatus, Bodas, Cars Rapide, are the main mobility services in Africa. While they provide flexible mobility options and employment opportunities, the use of old vehicles raises concerns about road safety and air pollution. Despite the introduction of bus rapid transit systems and trams in some cities, these informal services remain necessary. Improving their quality and reducing emissions without excluding low-income people is essential. Digitalisation can play an important role, harnessing the potential of Africa’s young and tech-savvy population.
A closer look at the modal split in African cities reveals a significant reliance on walking and paratransit. This is largely due to a lack of affordable alternatives and high levels of social deprivation. Inadequate and unsafe sidewalks further discourage walking. As a result, pedestrian fatalities account for 40 to 60% of accidents in many African countries. Urgent attention is needed to improve active mobility infrastructure.
Non-motorised transport is desirable for reducing emissions. However, for longer distances, motorised propulsion and external energy sources are required. The introduction of and transition to electric vehicles in all modes is needed, especially given the potential for low-cost renewable energy production.
The transition is already underway for motorcycles, which are widely used in many African countries.
Start-ups such as Zembo in Uganda and Senergytek in Morocco are demonstrating the local value created by e-mobility. Africa is also producing its first electric buses, such as those manufactured by Roam in Kenya. Although batteries are mostly imported from China, using raw materials also found in Africa, there is potential to shift parts of the value chain to the continent.
However, electrification of the transport sector is still in its early stages, with pioneering projects driving change. Rapid motorisation in many African countries is largely driven by the second-hand car market, where inadequate import regulations and lack of export standards result in unsafe and high-emission vehicles on African roads. Vehicle manufacturers and major vehicle exporting countries such as Germany have a responsibility to address this issue.
Sustainable transport systems in Africa depend on the necessary investment in infrastructure development. The African Economic Outlook estimates that $130 billion to $170 billions of annual infrastructure investment is needed. However, only $100 billion is currently being invested, of which about one-third is in the transport sector. The scope for action and investment is huge. Expanding road and rail networks, rapidly scaling up renewable electricity generation and distribution, and shaping African cities to enable climate-friendly mobility for a growing population are all essential.
In addition, the impacts of climate change require climate-resilient infrastructure to minimise damage and costs. Building infrastructure projects with climate resilience adds 2-3% to the cost. Mobilising more resources, including through climate finance funds, can help bridge the investment gap and build resilient transport infrastructure. This will also facilitate private sector investment in transport in African countries.
It is important to bear in mind that investments are particularly useful if they are coordinated between different donors. Coordinating all infrastructure investments across different sources and geopolitical interests and prioritising them according to the goals of sustainable development should be primarily the responsibility of African governments and the African Union. While this is partly working well, there is still potential for better cooperation between Western and Chinese banks and investors.
Of course, all these considerations can be expanded, supplemented, considered in a more differentiated way, placed in the national context of various African countries or applied to regional case studies and, if necessary, critically examined. We see them as a starting point for a discussion that should be conducted in close exchange between states, institutions, organisations and individuals from African countries and the Global North.
It is in the common interest and shared responsibility of the African governments and the international community to work together to initiate a change of direction towards a climate-neutral and socially equitable design of the transport sector.
If you want to dive deeper in this discussion: The content of this article is based on a discussion paper jointly developed by GIZ and the think tank Agora Verkehrswende. In addition to extensive research, the contents were developed in particular in group discussions with African transport experts.
The paper is available for download here: https://www.changingtransport.org/publication/transforming-transport-in-africa/
In the past, cycling was a primary mode of transport and common throughout cities in Viet Nam. However, decades of rapid increase in private motorised vehicle ownership have turned bicycles into a fewer/less common means of transportation in cities and they receive little attention in urban transport policies. The Guideline will enable to ride bicycles safer, more conveniently, to promote cycling again as a daily travel option for people of all ages and abilities.
On the 29 May 2023, the Technical Guideline for Bicycle Infrastructure Design in Urban Areas was launched at the first of its kind in Viet Nam.
The launch is key to Vietnam’s efforts in addressing the fast-growing urban population that is projected to reach 50% of the total population by 2025. Rapid urbanization leads to pressure on the management of urban public services, including a number of issues related to urban transportation and the environment. The existing urban road network often poses risks to cyclists and other vulnerable road users, and many smaller streets lack the necessary space and facilities for safe bicycle and pedestrian use.
“We encourage urban planners, urban designers, road engineers, and city managers to use this guideline as a reference in their works. This guideline provides both theoretical and technical solutions to problems related to bicycle facilities that in line with newly issued standard 13592:2022 Urban Roads -Design Requirements in Viet Nam”
Mr. Ta Quang Vinh Director General of ATI/MOC
This guideline comprises wide-ranging recommendations for designing bicycle infrastructure, highlighting five key areas of action:
For further information, please find the press release at: https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/123845.html
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The development of the Technical Guidelines for Cycling Infrastructure Design in Urban Area was led by the Administration of Technical Infrastructure (ATI) and the Ministry of Construction (MOC) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Ministry of Transportation (MOT), with technical support from GIZ, WRI, and HealthBridge.
The development, design and printing of the Technical Guidelines for Bicycle Infrastructure Design in Urban Areas are supported by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and under the framework of the DeveloPPP project “Promote and Pilot a Public Bike-Sharing (PBS) Scheme in Viet Nam towards Sustainable Urban Mobility and Smart Cities”, Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) Project, and HealthBridge Livable Cities Programme.
With a prototype database up and running to demonstrate the vision, an effective organisational structure and initial seed funding from Germany, the UK and the US, the Transport Data Commons is ready to move into full operation and attract more funding in its second year. 30 organisations support the idea of open and robust data collection and management to enable transport decarbonisation and sustainable mobility.
A year ago, the idea for the Transport Data Commons was born at a co-creation workshop on the sidelines of the International Transport Forum Summit in Leipzig, Germany. Publicly available transport data remains, at best, difficult to access in many fragmented databases. Sometimes transport data exists, but it is not openly accessible. Often it is not collected regularly, or it is difficult to compare and aggregate because it is not harmonised. This is the case across countries and is particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries.
As a result, many international development organizations with their partner governments step in to collect data for a given objective or transport sub-sector. While this is a wonderful job that supports policymaking and research; it leads to a variety of indicators, websites, PDF documents from which it is difficult to cross-check data and compile consistent time series. It also implies extensive resources that are spent on extracting, adjusting, checking and using data. Often, efforts are duplicated.
The people behind the Transport Data Commons want to develop a common data platform where all participating organisations can both contribute and extract data on the transport-climate nexus. It includes three elements that differentiate it from other ongoing efforts:
While modelers and researchers could save a lot of time, as data collection and cleansing is extremely time consuming, the participating development organizations and donors could save money in the mid-term. This is why partners extend a warm invitation to join this collective endeavour to like-minded entities and individuals.
In the medium term, the Transport Data Commons will reduce data gaps and improve the quality of modelling, evaluation, impact assessment and reporting of transport projects. It will enable more effective support to low- and middle-income countries in their efforts to increase climate ambition. Donors, national and local governments, researchers, data analysts and civil society will all benefit from more accessible data.
In a nutshell, those who want to raise climate ambition need better transport data. So finally, the climate will benefit from Transport Data Commons as more ambitious climate actions is based on sound analysis.
Seed funding from Germany’s GIZ and the UK’s Climate Compatible Growth Programme has supported the prototyping efforts. UNECE is providing the infrastructure to host the database. To accelerate implementation, the partners have established three working groups over the last 12 months on (i) strategic issues, (ii) data architecture and (ii) user perspectives. All partners have been meeting regularly as a full group. The group is now refining the prototype database, establishing a formal organisational structure and identifying funding.
You may want to take a look at the prototype and get involved, whether by providing comments and feedback, data, or even considering supporting the initiative with in-kind or financial contributions.
Take a look at: www.transport-data.org.
Please have a look at our resources on YouTube to learn more about the Transport Data Commons:
If you are interested to learn more and share your feedback, please contact the current project managers, Ms Kirsten Orschulok and or Ms. Verena Knöll at GIZ. You can meet Verena at the International Symposium on Transportation Data & Modelling (ISTDM2023) organised by the Joint Research Centre in Isrpa, Italy on 19 and 20 June.
The development of an innovative sailing cargo vessel has provided a comprehensive insight into maritime transport in an atoll nation such as the Marshall Islands. The research carried out locally by national and international partners, and the in-depth decision making process on how to proceed with the design and construction, and which technologies to incorporate, has resulted in a design that contains the most economical and easy-to-use systems on board. For the Marshallese crew, this would make the vessel easier to handle and operate on a day-to-day basis, and gradually build their skills to become specialists in low-carbon propulsion technologies.
With the Marshallese people’s background as the most sophisticated sailors in ancient times, especially their navigational skills, this know-how will be brought into the modern age and can lead the way for many other countries in the region to make a paradigm shift from conventional propelled shipping to less polluting maritime transport.
On Friday, May 26th 2023, the keel laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel has been held at the premises of the Asia Shipbuilding Co,. Ltd., close to the city of Geoje on Geoje Island, South Korea. The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., has signed contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in last year´s July to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
GIZ has been implementing the IKI (International Climate Initiative) financed program that is commissioned by the Federal German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Production (BMUV) jointly with the Marshall Islands Ministry for Transportation, Communication, and Information Technologies (MoTCIT) since 2017.
The overarching aim of the project is until today to support RMI´s ambitious target to cut down carbon dioxide emission in the domestic sea transport sector according to its National Determined Contribution (NDC) target of achieving transport-wide reduction of total domestic transport GHG emissions 27% below 2010 levels by 2030 and transitioning to a low carbon transport future and is committed to reducing GHG emissions from domestic shipping 40% below 2010 levels by 2030 and full decarbonization of the sector by 2050. Earlier this year, the RMI Cabinet has endorsed the Domestic Maritime Transport Roadmap, that lays out the path for net-zero sea transportation in the Marshall Islands until 2050.
The keel laying ceremony has been hosted by Asia Shipbuilding on a sunny day on Geoje. Various representatives from the maritime sector of the Republic of Korea have been present, by name: Management of Kostec Co., Ltd., Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Korea Register, International Registries Incorporated (IRI), Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute (KOMERI), Representatives of the Geoje City Hall next to high level Government officials from the RMI Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Honorable Minister Kitlang Kabua and H.E. Ambassador Albon T. Ishoda jointly with Madame Ambassador.
The keeling would be the start of the paradigm shift from conventional driven, solely engine propelled ships to a new generation of vessels for our islands in the larger Pacific Region.
Honorable Minister Kitlang Kabua of the RMI Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Furthermore, she made clear: “We need to move away from fossil fuels, the vessel which´ keel is laid today in this festive ceremony symbolizes the larger change we are fighting for, a transition from technologies that are outdated and not adequate anymore in times where we face daily challenges with rising sea levels, the acidification of our oceans leading to coral bleaching, taking away our resources that we all need to survive.”
Project Director Mr. Held made clear that “the combination of various technologies for such size and type vessel is unique.” The 48 m Sailing Cargo Vessels has been jointly developed with the Research Institute University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer. Together a new prototype-like vessel has been elaborated, including a modern and efficient sailing rig, PV units for the generation of electricity onboard and training areas for generations of future Marshallese Seaman.
The windmilling technology via recuperation during sailing operation has not yet been built in this context and will certainly raise lots of interest within future buyers when proven successful. The ship could basically be operated emission free during favorable conditions.
Mr. Chung, Project Manager of Kostec Co., Ltd.
After the keel laying ceremony, the shipyard and all relevant project partners will continue with the production of the vessel until the next milestone, the launching in early October 2023.
GIZ Pacific’s Low Carbon Sea Transport Project is based in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
In this current day, women represent only 1.2% percent of the global seafarer workforce. The IMO (International Maritime Organization) International Day for Women in Maritime is observed on May 18 every year. The day focuses on the following:
On 18 May 2023, the Republic of the Marshall Islands celebrated its first ever IMO International Day for Women in Maritime event, organised by the College of the Marshall Islands (CMI) in partnership with the Ministry of Transport, Communication, and Information Technologies (MOTC&IT), the Marshall Islands Shipping Company (MISC), the National Training Committee (NTC), the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA), the German International Cooperation (GIZ),the International Registries Incorporated (IRI) and the Marshall Energy Company (MEC) at Uliga Dock in the city capital, Majuro.
The College of the Marshall Islands is currently campaigning for new maritime courses for the next Fall semester, starting in this August. These courses are to provide high-quality educational services in maritime-related vocational training to the Marshallese people in the areas of engineering and deck-navigation works.
With the event, CMI Maritime Vocational Training Center Director, Edward Adiniwin hopes to include and recruit more women into taking these exciting new courses and eventually, pursue positions within the maritime sector perspectively.
CMI President Dr. Irene Taafaki was present to provide words of encouragement and support to theedom
One of the key values of the College of the Marshall Islands is its commitment to equity and access to opportunities. The Maritime Program is no exception and plans to assist women to enter and progress through maritime careers.
Dr. Tafaaki
Dr. Tafaaki continued, “Anthropologist Dirk Spenneman has written that “Marshallese have always been noted for their navigational skill” and “either men or women, were taught the secrets of sailing and navigation. In another Marshallese legend describing how navigation skills came to the islands, a crucial role was attributed to another woman, known as Litormalu (or Taramalu) and whose mother, from the “clan of Kwajalein.” From the time she was a small girl, she was taught by her adopted father and one other man, how to navigate through the skills of reading the weather and signs at sea, such as birds, rocks, swells and waves; they also taught her the chants associated with navigation. Litormalu spent a lot of time learning to feel the waves coming from different directions as they encountered land. When she was older the two men built her a canoe in which she continued to train until she became an expert navigator.”
After the ceremony with various speakers, the students were given a tour of the facilities around the Uliga dock and the SV Kwai, a sailing cargo ship that assists MISC in transporting passengers and/or cargoes to and from Majuro Atoll to the neighboring islands. SV Kwai has been operating in the Marshall Islands now since end of 2020. In a few months from now, a new sailing cargo ship will be added into the MISC fleet, funded by the IKI (International Climate Initiative) through the GIZ Project Low Carbon Sea Transport: the new ship will as well be used as training platform for future students.
GIZ Pacific’s Low Carbon Sea Transport Project is based in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)
Colombia has been a leader in sustainable transport in Latin America for many years. Already in the 1990s Bogotá was recognised globally for its modern Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. However, in recent years, ridership has been declining in Colombian public transport systems, predominantly due to increasing private ownership of cars and motorcycles.
Strong growth in private transport represents a major challenge to Colombia’s climate goals, which have become steadily more ambitious and comprehensive over time. Colombia’s current NDC foresees six main actions to reduce transport-sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 2030, including transport electrification, support for active mobility and demand management, fluvial and train corridor development, and performance-based plane navigation.
Buses play a vital role in Colombia’s transport landscape. Colombia’s 15,000 buses provide for nearly 6 million passenger trips each day (source: TRANSfer III estimation using data from the Colombian Ministry of Transport on 2018 and 2020). These buses emit some 1.3 million-tons of CO2e per year, which represents 6% of the national transport-related GHG emissions. The bus systems’ various configurations – from small feeder buses to bi-articulated high-frequency corridor buses – has an enormous untapped potential for transitioning to clean urban mobility. Mass adoption of electric buses would not only reduce GHG emissions, but also improve air quality and reduce noise pollution, with attendant benefits for human health and urban quality of life.
Against this backdrop, in 2019 the Colombian Ministry of Transport and GIZ identified public transport electrification as a key measure for decreasing GHG emissions and modernising public transport systems. As part of the TRANSfer III project, GIZ collaborated with the Colombian government to develop an electrification strategy for public transport. The project helps countries develop transport mitigation actions and thus fulfil their commitments under the Paris Agreement. It has been funded by the German government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) since 2010.
With the aim of developing a public transport electrification strategy, experts at the Colombian Ministry of Transport and GIZ collaborated to (1) devise a public investment fund, (2) develop technical guidelines for bus electrification, (3) foster capacity development for planning, operating, and maintaining electric fleets, and (4) make necessary improvements to legal and institutional arrangements.
An initial analysis of the financial and economic evaluations of procuring electric buses on the different public transport configurations in the country drew an important conclusion: While e-buses have lower operating costs than their conventional counterparts, they have significantly higher upfront costs. This fact, in combination with the need to invest in charging infrastructure, significantly constrain the capacity of small to medium size operators to electrify their fleets. The most efficient way to promote e-bus adoption would be thus to offer financing instruments to close the investment cost difference between e-buses and conventional vehicles, the study concluded.
The study identified numerous additional barriers to e-bus adoption, including in particular: (1) the unprofitable nature of public transport systems and their reliance on public subsidies; and (2) investor reluctance to finance e-buses, given the novel nature of the technology, the current absence of charging infrastructure, and lack of expertise in managing and maintaining e-bus fleets.
To enable viable market conditions for e-bus adoption, the Colombian Ministry of Transport developed a proposal for a national investment fund that would promote the modernisation of public transport and light freight. This proposal was integrated into the 2022 Climate Action Law (2169). While this represents a tremendous step forward for bus fleet electrification in Colombia, financing is not the sole barrier to transformation.
A critical factor involves building capacities and human resources for planning and design and the operative sections. In partnership with another IKI funded project in Chile, a course on planning public transport electrification was developed and delivered to nearly 50 professionals by Universidad de Chile and Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia.
Building up human resources for the day-to-day technical operation was an even more significant challenge. Together with the National Training Service (SENA), a driver and maintenance curriculum was developed and will be offered by SENA at its vehicle training centers in Bogotá and Bucaramanga. The curriculum is specifically designed to encourage female participation in the transport sector as drivers and technicians. In Bogotá, just 290 drivers are women, while 19,117 are men, according to the municipal public transport operator. Gender-oriented education measures can address this profound gender gap, which is attributable to cultural biases and stereotypes, self-discrimination, and hidden prejudices about women’s ability to cope in predominantly male working contexts.
To introduce electric buses, bus operators also need to understand and develop business models for procuring electricity. The TRANSfer team worked with the city of Bogota to develop a new business model for partnership with utility companies, in which land use rights are granted in exchange for the provisoin of utility services. The goal was to obtain bids for developing 20 public charging stations in the city.
With the aim of helping local government and public transport actors to understand the electricity market and the value chain for fleet charging, TRANSfer developed a special guide to energy supply for electric vehicles in Colombia, which has been disseminated throughout the country.
A more detailed discussion of the activities and outcomes of the TRANSfer III project in Colombia is available for download here.
The report estimates that e-bus adoption has an aggregate mitigation potential of 1.8 Mt CO2e up to 2030 and recommends investment of 791 million euros.
The following lessons learned emerged from the project:
The TRANSfer project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
Approximately over 1.3 million people are dying due to road accidents globally, with the majority of children and young people as victims (WHO 2022). Road safety is an issue of global significance, transcending borders and impacting individuals from various groups. Regardless of the country they reside in, people have diverse safety requirements.
In a world where road safety remains a pressing global concern, it is crucial to revolutionise our transport systems. Dr. Kalpana Viswanath shared in our captivating interview her experience in the field. Dr. Kalpana is an outstanding leading figure in road safety development and the founder of Safetipin, a platform dedicated to enhancing road safety globally, providing support and resources for safer roads worldwide
During the interview, it became evident that unsafe conditions on roads are preventable. She emphasised the need to shift people’s perspective, recognising that streets should revolve around people rather than being solely designed for vehicles. This shift entails a fundamental perspective, reimagining the way public space is planned and giving priority to the safety and well-being of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. Whilst the journey towards safer roads may not be easy, it is undeniably crucial and requires concerted efforts from institutions, governments, and individuals alike.
The journey to a safe city is not an easy one, but I do not think we have to look for what is easy. We have to look for what is right and equitable, and this requires the hard work of institutions, government, and society.
Dr. Kalpana, Safetipin’s Founder
There are many factors that affect the perception and feeling of safety. It is crucial to listen to the needs of the people to create safe public spaces for everyone.
According to Dr. Kalpana, a safe city should include several key ingredients to ensure the well-being and inclusivity of its inhabitants:
We, as citizens, must be able to enjoy the cities where we live. Having an enjoyable city means having a safe city, and that is why we have to humanise cities.
Dr. Kalpana, Safetipin’s Founder
This means accounting for the specific requirements of children, ensuring safe routes to schools, considering the safety concerns of women, accommodating the needs of older people, and implementing measures that cater to people with disabilities, among other considerations.
Dr. Kalpana emphasised the direct correlation between sustainable mobility and road safety and that both goals are intertwined and require a collective effort to achieve shared objectives.
In order to achieve sustainable mobility and build safer roads, it is crucial to slow down and rethink our approach to transportation, aligning both agendas.
Dr. Kalpana, Safetipin’s Founder
In the first place, this requires policy changes that support the integration of road safety and sustainable mobility, as well as the establishment of safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly public transport systems. Dr. Kalpana highlighted the importance of fostering partnerships between the transportation industry and movements advocating for safe public spaces, as these aspects are inherently interconnected and crucial for achieving sustainable development.
Moreover, she underlined the need for increased societal awareness and action. This includes a focus on measuring the impact of road safety initiatives and effectively communicating the data to the public. By providing concrete evidence for road safety, people are more likely to utilize them, ultimately resulting in positive outcomes and encouraging further progress.
Safetipin platform has yielded significant positive impacts in various urban areas across different countries. The platform’s implementation in Delhi is just one of the notable success stories. By identifying numerous dark spots and areas lacking proper lighting through the app, Safetipin facilitated collaborative efforts with the government, resulting in a reduction of over 5,000 such spots. This achievement improved the safety and security of urban environments.
Delhi’s experience with Safetipin exemplifies the platform’s effectiveness in empowering individuals to enhance their safety. Specifically addressing women’s needs, Safetipin provided valuable advice on selecting safer routes, assessing the safety of neighborhoods, and identifying secure transport stations. Furthermore, the platform offered support to women who faced any form of harassment in public spaces, demonstrating its commitment to fostering safer communities.
The success of Safetipin extends beyond Delhi, reaching countries like South Africa and Colombia. In Bogota, for instance, where a thriving cycling community exists, collaboration with the country’s Secretary of Women enabled Safetipin to equip women with crucial information for navigating the city without encountering danger.
To support the development of platforms and movements focused on promoting safe spaces and green mobility, people should utilise these tools. When individuals download the MySafetipin App and actively contribute their experiences and feedback, these platforms become stronger and more powerful in their ability to support and uplift society.
While many cities around the world offer immense beauty and attractions, there are instances where caution needs to be exercised, particularly during late-night hours.
The focus on road safety aims to provide information and resources to society, transforming urban narratives from potentially frightening experiences to positive and enjoyable ones. The goal is to create cities that are welcoming and enjoyable for every individual. Cities where fear is minimised, and people can freely explore and walk without constant apprehension. While it is important to remain cautious, the overarching aim is to foster an environment where cities become vibrant and inclusive spaces for everyone.
As this journey towards safer roads and more inclusive cities continues, it is evident that a collective effort involving institutions, governments, and society as a whole is essential. By working together, we can create a future where road safety is a global priority and cities become vibrant, accessible, and welcoming environments for everyone to thrive.
Fathimath Raufa Moosa is Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Maldives and responsible for reporting greenhouse gas emission to the UNFCCC in the context of the Enhanced Transparency Framework. She just started working on a project on updating the emission inventory in her country and transport is one of the areas that was identified as important to improve. She was one of 26 participants from 10 countries that just participated at a 3-day training course called “MRV for Transport in Asia”.
The 21st Climate Conference in Paris in 2015 agreed to unify the reporting standards between all countries with the Enhanced Transparency Framework. It asks developing countries to report emissions and climate actions at more detail in so-called Biennial Transparency Reports. But it is challenging for countries to translate these new requirements into national settings for data collection, NDC implementation and baseline scenario development. Transport is one of the sectors that is very relevant, as it causes a high share of emissions – usually between 10 and 30 percent – but is difficult to quantify because of the millions of sources such as cars, motorbikes, trains and planes.
The UNFCCC and GIZ-organised regional training course in Ha Long, Vietnam discussed the core aspects of the Enhanced Transparency Framework from the country’s perspective. The participants explored the three learning objectives interactively and with a lot of exchange between the participants.
This is a crucial opportunity for Viet Nam and our fellow countries in the Asia-Pacific region to learn and exchange on the technicalities of a consistent MRV system for the transport sector.
Tran Anh Duong, Deputy Director General at the Department of Science, Technology and Environment of the Viet Nam Ministry of Transport
Many countries designed their transport GHG inventory with the principles of transparency, consistency, comparability, completeness and accuracy (TCCCA) as guiding principles in preparing and reporting inventories in mind. However, many participants face challenges in terms of data acquisition and management and consistency and technical implementation. The fragmentation of the transport sector often results in extensive data collection. Dilini Liyanage (Sri Lanka) asked: “I want to know when the data is unavailable, or when the data has some gaps what I can do, and what the best approach is” The participants discussed with each other to understand the main challenges in accessing and collecting transport data and identify tools and models to overcome them. For Dilini this was helpful and she confirmed: “From this training, I learned to identify some methodologies and approaches.”
Not only for the island states that participated in the training, the impact of climate change is already a challenge and reducing GHG emissions efficiently and quickly became the critical question of our time. The training took one and a half days to look at prioritising climate change actions to reduce GHG emissions in transport effectively: It familiarised everyone with scenarios and baseline setting, GHG projection and assessment methodologies, starting from a broad vision and becoming very concrete when looking at specific tools that could be used.
I liked the fact that we got to move around. We didn’t just listen and learn something, but we calculated on our own and analysed information. I really liked the diversity!
Fathimath Raufa Moosa, Maldives
The training in Ha Long was the third regional training by GIZ and UNFCCC, after a first one in Nairobi for African countries in February 2020 and a second one for Latin American countries (online) in June 2021. The training was hosted by the Ministry of Transport in Vietnam and supported by UNFCCC and the NDC Transport Initiative for Asia.
As measuring and reporting emissions is the basis for identifying impactful climate actions, GIZ has been focusing on capacity development in its global programmes funded by the International Climate Initiative of the German Government. In the past years, not only training courses, but a variety of publications have been developed specifically targeting decision-makers and researchers in developing countries.
The transparency toolkit summarises these approaches in a coherent manner, key publications are:
Furthermore, the toolkit includes a variety of tools such as the TRIGGER for bottom-up emission inventories or the MobiliseYourCity Emission Calculator for quantifying impacts of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).
To reach even more practitioners, GIZ will launch an online training course in August 2023. The key to success lies not only in the content, but also in the didactics and close involvement of the trainees, in order to know their needs and to involve them actively in the sessions.
If you are in need to better quantify transport emissions and want to know more about the course or even want to organise a training in your country, please get in touch with GIZ’s transport MRV expert in Asia, Michel Arnd, email hidden; JavaScript is required
NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. It supports China, India, and Viet Nam as well as regional and global decarbonisation strategies to increase the ambition around low-carbon transport.
In Viet Nam, the project’s implementing organisation is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and partner institutions include World Resources Institute (WRI) and International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Viet Nam Ministry of Transport (MOT) is the Lead executive organisation and the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (DOSTE) is the project owner. For more information on the project, please visit: https://www.ndctransportinitiativeforasia.org/.
The momentum towards low-carbon and sustainable transport is growing globally, but the sector still lags behind many others and each country faces a unique path to travel. Political landscapes, regulations, industry interests, market set-ups, financial resources and social considerations all differ to create different starting positions and different parameters that will ultimately shape the best course for each country. However, there are also some commonalities.
Drawing from the experiences of China, India and Vietnam so far – both successes and failures – the NDC Transport Initiative for Asia identifies five lessons on how similar countries can increase transport ambitions and accelerate climate action.
In China, India and Vietnam, demand for mobility and vehicle ownership are expected to increase drastically with rapid urbanization, economic development and population growth (at least in the case of India and Vietnam). In the face of this growing motorization, the NDC-TIA’s Path to Zero Council Report calls for enhanced ambition and specific transport targets in climate commitments. As of April 2022, 38 countries in Asia had submitted updated NDCs or second NDCs; only Bangladesh, Georgia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Israel and Vietnam contain a quantitative GHG emission reduction target for the transport sector. More countries contain other types of targets – for example, related to electric vehicles, efficiency improvements or biofuels. China, India and Vietnam have, however, set economy-wide carbon neutrality goals with different approaches to translating targets into domestic policies.
China submitted its updated NDC and LTS in 2021, outlining ambitious goals for carbon peaking before 2030 and to be carbon neutral before 2060. The target is not yet enshrined in an official law but has become a core focus and narrative across all policy documents across national and subnational governments. In alignment with its updated NDC, China’s “1+N” policy system is ambitious and seeks to accelerate the development of an integrated multi-modal transport network and includes policy actions to promote low-carbon transport. WRI China’s analysis reveals that subnational governments have had difficulty setting transport emission reduction targets due to the lack of transport statistics and unified transport emission accounting methodologies. It is thus critical to develop credible transport CO2 emission inventories to allow sectoral target-setting and tracking of the decarbonization progress.
India’s updated NDC includes targets closer to its current level of climate action, when compared to its first NDC, however much deeper emission cuts and stronger targets are needed to put India on a 1.5-degree pathway. India does not have any transport-specific emission reduction targets in its updated NDC though it does envision railways to become net zero and rail to account for 45% of freight traffic by 2030 in its long-term strategy (LTS). The NDC-TIA Forum for Decarbonising Transport, an initiative of NITI Aayog and WRI India, has brought together climate modelers, transport policymakers, researchers and practitioners to deliberate on different models for carbon-neutral transport systems in the country. GIZ India is also modelling different pathways to achieve net-zero targets in the transport sector.
Notably, Vietnam committed to net zero by 2050 at COP26 with additional pledges related to methane emission reductions and coal phase out. The government entrenched its net-zero goal into law and released an updated NDC in 2022. The updated NDC provides a sectoral breakdown of targets and policies and puts forward a detailed implementation plan of the targets by improved policies and institutions, capacity building and technological development, financial requirements and international cooperation. Following the approval of its National Climate Change Strategy, the government announced an Action Programme on Green Energy Transformation which details steps to reduce carbon and methane emissions from transport. However, significant policy design and implementation across key sectors is still required, as well as alignment with its NDC. To aid this process, the NDC-TIA is supporting the government in developing transport emission models, electric mobility roadmaps and new financing mechanisms.
All three countries have announced non-legally binding electric vehicle (EV) targets. China set targets of a 20% share for “new energy vehicles” (NEVs) in new sales by 2025 and 100% electrification of the public fleet vehicle stock by 2035. To date, China has already surpassed the 20% EV share target and expects to reach a 40% share by 2030. India continues to promote EVs and set targets for new sales of light-duty vehicles (70% of commercial cars, and 80% of two- and three-wheelers to be electric by 2030). As of February 2021, 15 states in India have final or draft EV policies in place. In Vietnam, the government envisions to power 100% of buses by clean energy by 2025, and to have 50% of the vehicle fleet and 100% of taxis running on electricity and green energy by 2030
While the adoption of transport targets can help policymakers implement adequate measures to speed the low-carbon transition, financial instruments must align with these targets to enable action from the private sector and allow the provision of new services. As the demand for transport infrastructure simultaneously grows, this calls for countries to urgently facilitate investment in technology and sustainable infrastructure to prevent “lock-in” of carbon-intensive, non-sustainable pathways.
Although the provision of EV purchase subsidies can be costly, governments can explore incentives such as leasing and consumer financing to mitigate ownership risks. Market mechanisms with concessions can be a cost-effective way to build standardized charging networks and there are ways governments can help establish a stable long-term investment environment for charging point operators and manufacturers, as suggested by our study tour findings.
China’s rapid acceleration in electrification – China is the world leader in the rollout of EVs and charging infrastructure – is largely driven by the central and local governments, but it is facilitated by private sector innovations. A few key factors have supported the fast roll-out of electric bus fleets in many Chinese cities: the mandate to shift to clean energy buses, government subsidies that lowered upfront costs of vehicles, and a viable business model where stakeholders collaborate to share risks and improve financial efficiency. Leadership from local governments, such as in Shenzhen, has played a crucial role in piloting e-bus projects with innovative procurement solutions. To further decarbonize China’s road transport, WRI China estimates that large low-carbon investments amounting to 39–83 trillion Chinese Yuan ($5.7-12 billion) are needed from 2020 to 2060. Given the immense price tag, public investments won’t be sufficient to meet the needs. A more predictable regulatory environment and better access to finance would allow the private sector to play a bigger role in delivering innovative solutions.
India is rolling out e-bus deployment with aggregated tenders. With policy support like FAME II, the registration of new e-buses grew to 1,176 in 2021 as well as a tender for 5,450 e-buses for five Indian cities. To overcome high capital costs, Indian cities are experimenting with innovative procurement models and financial practices for bus fleets and have plans to increase charging infrastructure.
For Vietnam, the NDC-TIA is working with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to analyze how to adapt the bus subsidy model for e-bus fleets, developing finance mechanisms for e-bus adoption and engaging financial institutions to mobilize new resources. VinFast, the first and largest domestic automobile and electric scooter producer in Vietnam, recently received $135 million in financing, led by the Asian Development Bank, to support manufacturing of e-buses and development of a national charging network for EVs.
Siloed policymaking and disconnection between policy and implementation are critical barriers to transforming transport systems. NDC-TIA has worked to improve collaboration with government actors in China, India and Vietnam across different levels to improve the effectiveness of transport decarbonization policies.
To achieve goals set in China’s 1+N carbon neutrality policy system, we facilitate multi-stakeholder platforms across levels of government and ministries to ensure transport polices are crafted with the necessary whole-of-government approach. In Guangdong Province, NDC-TIA partners met with local authorities to understand the diverse responsibilities and needs of different departments. This helped to address data gaps for emissions accounting.
In India, the Forum for Decarbonizing Transport was launched to catalyze stakeholder engagement to support policymaking for more ambitious transport action. As part of the Forum, several workshops have been organized covering topics such as financing, carbon market regulation and modelling pathways for zero-emission transport.
In Vietnam, NDC-TIA has supported the Ministry of Transport in collaborating with international and domestic partners to develop an e-mobility roadmap and action plan. Through stakeholder engagement, research and knowledge exchange, we have also supported Ho Chi Minh City in developing Vietnam’s first city e-mobility action plan, which will be integrated into the city’s master plan.
More integrated, coherent and coordinated policy efforts across sectors are still needed, however. India has independent policies for the clean energy transition (e.g., in the draft National Electricity Plan published in September 2022) and for EVs (e.g., FAME II or other initiatives of EV mission). Similarly, in China and Vietnam, growing electricity demand from vehicle electrification will require a paradigm shift in how electricity systems work. Policymakers need to bring actors of different interests to the same table to develop financially viable solutions and bring the right technology suitable for the local context.
Over the last decade, the governments of China, India and Vietnam have established or proposed fuel consumption or CO2 emission standards for new passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. Considered one of the most effective mitigation measures, they have helped improve emissions performance and are becoming increasingly ambitious. Examples from other major EV markets suggest that fuel consumption standards based on incremental efficiency could further boost growth and help increase the share of renewable energy by cutting overall energy demand and creating a pull factor for fleet electrification with fleet standards.
Currently, China’s corporate average fuel consumption scheme is tied to NEV mandates, requiring manufacturers to meet credit requirements through the production of vehicles based on vehicle efficiency and allowing them to use extra NEV credits to comply with fuel consumption requirements. WRI China’s modelling finds that fuel efficiency improvements can generate 17% of the emission reductions in China needed to meet its carbon neutrality goal by 2060. Tightening fleet-wide fuel efficiency is also expected to stimulate NEV production.
For India, research by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) finds that while the passenger cars are comparably fuel efficient by international standards due to their small size and weight, there remains a need for the government to develop more stringent emission norms to generate faster emission reductions. Another study on the fuel consumption from light commercial vehicles reveals the need for effective CO2 emission standards and suggests a star-labeling standard.
In Vietnam, compliance for the current technical standards governing the fuel economy of motorcycles is voluntary and as a result very low. ICCT conducted detailed analysis and developed a baseline of fuel consumption of two-wheelers as well as passenger vehicles up to nine seats which found a wide range of fuel consumption levels among vehicles with similar weight and engine power, indicating the potential for technology improvements in less-efficient models and can serve as a foundation for future policies designed to set new emission standards. Currently ICCT and GIZ are assisting the government to develop a proposal for new fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles under nine seats.
Asia accounted for 39% of global freight activity in 2015 and expects to reach 46% by 2050. However, the impact of freight has often been underestimated and public authorities historically focus on passenger transport. The Council for Decarbonising Asia identified freight as a blind spot that holds back actions advancing zero-emission transport.
India referred to freight in its LTS and launched the National Logistics Policy in September 2022, aspiring to reduce logistics costs to global benchmarks by 2030. China promotes freight mode shift from road to rail and road to waterways in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). To support the decarbonization of the transport sector in Guangdong Province, WRI China organized a workshop on freight modal shift from road to rail at the Shenzhen port. Complementing this, the team is also conducting a feasibility study of zero-emission freight zones in several major cities in the province, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
The electrification of heavy-duty vehicles is emerging as a viable solution and is gaining traction among governments. ICCT’s analysis suggests that all battery-electric trucks in China can achieve total cost of ownership parity with diesel trucks in the second half of this decade. While China is now the world’s largest heavy duty vehicle market, with a booming manufacturing industry and high demand, other emerging markets are relatively less ready to adopt zero-emission vehicle technology. China does show that policies targeting the deployment of zero-emission vehicles with high emission-reduction potential and adequate incentives can help close the total cost of ownership gap between electric heavy-duty vehicles and their diesel counterparts more quickly. International support for financing the transition, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing to support capacity will all be critical to accelerating freight electrification.
The experiences of China, India and Vietnam are valuable because they demonstrate different approaches to materializing the opportunities to decarbonizing transport. While climate change mitigation in the transport sector is not yet an overarching priority in Asia, the building blocks are starting to emerge on which such a more comprehensive approach could be based. Policy interventions following the “Avoid-Shift-Improve” framework offer the best chance for a broader, more equitable transformation to zero-emission transport. China has expanded public transport in many cities in the last decade, and India and Vietnam are prioritizing the electrification of bus fleets. Moving forward, providing high-quality and clean public transport and improving conditions and incentives for walking and cycling will all be critical.
Across all global regions, transport emissions have grown fastest in Asia, with China and India accounting for 58% of total emissions. Making progress in the region is key to implementing the Paris Agreement. With these lessons to draw on, other governments can also develop data-informed approaches to speed up and maximize the benefits of the transition to low-carbon transport systems, as GIZ under the NDC-TIA has begun supporting in Thailand and the Philippines. The right policies, technologies, investments and stakeholder buy-ins are critical to navigating this journey.
The full blogpost was originally published on TheCityFix on 6 April 2023, written by Yiqian Zhang (WRI), with contributions by Urda Eichhorst, Indradip Mitra and Ly Dang Tuyet (GIZ), Ben Welle, Sebastian Castellanos, Stephanie Ly,