Decarbonising global transport: radical rethink needed

[Magazine Exclusive] Transport ministers and experts at the International Transport Forum Annual Summit 2014 have called for new ways of thinking about transport and urban planning if the sector is to successfully reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. Vaidehi Shah reports from Germany.

ITF-cycling
The transport sector needs to decarbonise by improving fuel efficiency, embracing fuel alternatives, and encouraging cycling, walking and public transport, in order to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Image: OECD/ITF

Ministers across the world have called for a “significant decarbonisation” of the global transport sector so that  greenhouse gas emission targets can be met. They also urged for more international co-operation to create transport systems that respond to the changing needs of citizens.

In a declaration made at the recently-held International Transport Forum in Leipzig, Germany, transport  ministers from 54 member countries called for policymakers to develop “an integrated package of transport and fiscal measures” to improve existing transport systems, and to support alternative transport ideas such as hydrogen or electric cars, walking and cycling.

Not only would such measures bring about an urgently needed reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, they would also yield “strong co-benefits” such as enhanced health, improved road safety, economic growth and increased social equality, said the ministers.

But a major shift towards alternative transport technologies, public transport, walking and cycling can only be possible if planners and policymakers radically changed the way they think about transport and climate change, said experts at the three-day summit.

Read the rest of this feature in our inaugural Eco-Business magazine here.

Did you find this article useful? Join the EB Circle!

Your support helps keep our journalism independent and our content free for everyone to read. Join our community here.

Most popular

Featured Events

Publish your event
leaf background pattern

Transforming Innovation for Sustainability Join the Ecosystem →