Colombia is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, such as floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise. The country has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 51% from the projected baseline by 2030 and to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. To achieve these ambitious goals, Colombia must transform its transport sector, which is responsible for 36% of energy-related emissions and 12% of total GHG emissions.
Colombia has adopted several policies and strategies to promote cleaner and more efficient modes of transport. The National Development Plan 2018-2022, the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the National Electric Mobility Strategy (ENME) all call for various measures, such as the implementation of fuel economy standards, vehicle labelling and incentives for electric vehicles. The Ministry of Mines and Energy is currently working with the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Transport to develop and coordinate such standards and labels for light-duty vehicles, with support from the IKI-funded IMPROVE project.
In addition, the sector in Colombia faces several other challenges, such as a rapidly growing vehicle fleet, a high number of road accidents and high levels of air pollution. It is estimated that urban air pollution causes about 10,000 premature deaths per year and health-related damages equivalent to 2% of GDP3. Between 2002 and 2020, the number of vehicles in Colombia will increase from 3.5 million to 16 million, with a predominance of motorcycles (61%) and light vehicles (30%).
