While this landing page provides an overview of transport in NDCs and LTS, the expert mode allows for more in-depth analysis by practitioners and researchers.

Via the expert mode users gain access to further information on the role of transport in climate strategies globally, in a certain region, or in a particular country. Users can engage in custom comparison between generations of climate policy documents, and detailed information on individual parameters using detailed filters on targets, mitigation and adaptation actions, means of implementation, and government structures. Country pages put these dimensions into the context of national GHG emissions and economic development.

We encourage you to use the tracker for your own work and research.

AVOID here refers to all measures aiming to reduce unnecessary motorised trips based on proximity and accessibility, while the second category seeks to SHIFT to less carbon-intensive modes of transport– that is, from private vehicles to public transport, shared mobility, walking and cycling, water-based freight, electrified road-rail freight, and cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries, among other. Finally, many measures’ purpose is to IMPROVE vehicle design, energy efficiency and efficiency of energy sources for different types of freight and passenger vehicles.

All three approaches are crucial for decarbonizing the transport sector. The graph shows that the majority of measures falls into the IMPROVE category. This is due to the strong focus on the electrification of road transport vehicles, overwhelmingly stemming from commitments on non-Annex I countries. AVOID measures such as transport demand management or compact development of cities remain underrepresented.

Transport systems are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and infrastructure development decisions are expensive and/or difficult to reverse. With intensifying extreme climate events – especially in but not limited to the global south – it becomes increasingly important to adapt existing infrastructure and integrate resilience measures in new projects.

Attention towards the need to adapt transport infrastructure is increasing: 52% of low-income countries include transport adaptations measures to reduce the impact of heat waves, wildfires, heavy rainfall, monsoons, flash flooding, and rising sea levels. However, there is a strong focus on reactive adaptation of infrastructure and technology, such as increased maintenance, local adaptation measures, or the introduction of new technologies into existing transport systems. While important, future humanitarian and economic resilience against climate change will require the mainstreaming of transport adaptation in policy and public planning. These include transportation laws and regulations, avoidance of particular environmental risks, or updating standards in the transport sector.