Ten years after the Paris Agreement, Berlin became the meeting place for the global transport community. From 22–26 September, more than 240 participants from 31 countries gathered at the 8th Transport and Climate Change Week, organised with the support of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), to exchange solutions, learn from one another, and set the tone for the decade ahead. The motto, “Time to Be Accountable,” reminded everyone that the next ten years must be about delivery as much as ambition.
The programme unfolded around four daily themes:
Over 33 sessions, 88 speakers, and 4 in-depth trainings, participants shared concrete experiences: from scaling e-buses and financing mobility to tackling informal transport and clean vehicles regulations. Regional perspectives from Africa, Asia, Latin America, South-East Europe, and the Marshall Islands added voices from across the globe, showing how diverse yet connected transformation journeys can be.
The highlight of the week was the Symposium Day, which under the theme “Visualising Our Goals” opened discussions to a wider audience. The high-level panel “Targeting Transport Decarbonisation up to 2035” brought together leaders from across sectors and regions:
Together, they underlined the urgency of clear 2035 targets and the need for collaboration across regions and value chains. Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter reminded participants that “transport is also a social question” and stressed that accountability means not only setting goals, but achieving them through concrete measures.
Discussions on global value chains, maritime innovation, and Asian perspectives added further depth, while six side events offered space to explore topics from truck electrification to urban climate resilience.
Beyond the panels, what defined this week was the spirit of peer learning and exchange. From panels to networking sessions, participants built connections that will carry forward well beyond Berlin.
Transport and Climate Change Week once again proved that change happens when experiences are shared, lessons are learned together, and global collaboration turns ideas into action.
For more on this year’s edition, you can read the full recap on the IKI website, relive the atmosphere with the daily recap videos, and explore further details on the Transport Week website. Photos from the event will soon be available in our Flickr album.
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).
© GIZ / Thomas Ecke
Cristal Stefania Cedeño Tobanda
cristal.cedenotobanda@giz.de
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