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Action Area:
TRANSPORTATION
The tramway service between Rabat and Salé – World Bank/ Arne Hoel
The Issue
Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are expected to
increase under a ‘business as usual’ scenario by nearly 50 per
cent by 2030 and more than 80 per cent by 2050, compared
with year-end 2009. This increase in emissions will be primarily
caused by a projected surge in the global stock of vehicles.
Already in 2009, transport contributed approximately onequarter of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions and
was responsible for about one-fifth of energy use. Measures that
reduce the demand for travel, including compact city planning
combined with the large-scale expansion of public transport
systems; improvements in energy-efficient transportation
systems; along with the promotion of non-motorised transport,
could save Governments, companies and individuals up to $70
trillion by 2050 as less money would need to be invested in
vehicles, fuel and transportation infrastructure.
Action Plan
Governments, transport companies and associations, other
private sector players and civil society organizations are
planning bold action to reduce transport-related greenhouse
gas emissions by expanding the use of public transportation,
greater use of more efficient rail transportation, and the
accelerated introduction of urban electric transport.
Already in 2009,
transport was
responsible for
about one-fifth of
energy use.
Deliverables
The Urban Electric Mobility Vehicles Initiative (UEMI)
This initiative aims to reduce dependency on vehicles by using
conventional sources of fuel and increasing the global market
share of electric vehicles in cities to at least 30% by 2030. This
would achieve a 30 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions in
urban areas by 2050.
The International Union of Railways (UIC) Low-Carbon
Sustainable Rail Transport Challenge
This initiative will reduce transport greenhouse gas emissions
and promote sustainable transportation by combining
improvements in rail sector energy efficiency with an expansion
of rail’s share of transport activity. The initiative has set targets
based on the International Energy Agency’s analysis of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recommended
two-degree scenario. By 2050, the rail sector aims to achieve
three goals: a 75 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions (1990
average value relative baseline); a doubling of rail’s share of
passenger transportation (1990 baseline); and rail freight use
exceeding road freight volumes by 50 per cent. Partnerships
will be developed with transportation authorities to support
this modal shift and progress will be supported with a robust
system of monitoring verification and reporting.
The International Association of Public Transport (UITP)
Declaration on Climate Leadership
Cities will face increasing traffic gridlock and pollution levels
with projected increases in private motor vehicles. Through this
initiative, UITP members are making a voluntary commitment
to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen climate resilience
within their cities and regions. The association’s goal is to
double the market share of public transport use around the
world by 2025 – a massive shift to public transport which would
prevent the emission of half a billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent
in the year 2025.
Find out more at:
www.un.org/climatechange/summit
For more information on
contributing to this Action Area
contact:
Juwang Zhu
Chief, Small Island Developing
States, Oceans and Climate
Branch
Division for Sustainable
Development
UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs
zhu@un.org
Mohammad Reza Salamat
Senior Sustainable Development
Officer
Division for Sustainable
Development
UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs
salamat@un.org
Tracy Raczek
UN Secretary-General’s Climate
Change Support Team
Office of the Assistant SecretaryGeneral for Strategic Planning
raczek@un.org