Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport

Mexico City, Mexico (2 December 2016) – At the C40 Mayors Summit in Mexico City, it was announced that Diesel vehicles will be removed from Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens by 2025, as part of unprecedented effort by mayors to improve the quality of air for their citizens. These pioneering cities also pledged to incentivise alternative vehicles and promote walking and cycling infrastructure. Worldwide, 3 million deaths each year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution according to WHO, with the vast majority of these deaths occurring in cities.

Recognizing the importance of reducing carbon emission in the transportation sector, eight major nations – Canada, China, France, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – signed a Government Fleet Declaration today, pledging to increase the share of electric vehicles in their government fleets and calling for other governments to join them. The Declaration was announced at the Marrakech Climate Change Conference (COP22) and was developed under the aegis of the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Electric Vehicles Initiative (CEM-EVI).

Freight transport accounts for roughly 7 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, making it an important sector in the fight against climate change, according to the U.N. But trade-related CO2 emissions are set to almost quadruple by 2050 based on 2010 figures, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Some developing countries are making an effort to cut emissions growth.

Quito- October 17, 2016