During the World Summit Climate and Territories (Lyon, France, 1-2 July), CODATU presents the initiative MobiliseYourCity that aims at strengthening urban mobility planning in developing countries to reduce urban transport greenhouse gas emissions.

The partners of the initiative wish to engage 100 cities by 2020 in integrated urban mobility policies to contribute to climate change mitigation. They support local governments in their efforts towards urban mobility planning to make cities more inclusive and liveable, improve economic attractiveness and reduce GHG emissions.

To make these metropolitan policies successful, it is critical to associate national governments and help them in the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive national urban mobility framework. This intervention at both level aims at putting cities on tracks towards a 50% emission reduction (at least) by 2050, compared to business as usual.

The transport sector is responsible for approximately 23% of total energy-related CO2 emissions. Between 2000 and 2050, GHG emissions are projected to increase by 140%, with a very large share of that increase coming from developing countries (nearly 90%). According to the latest report by the IPCC “Without aggressive and sustained mitigation policies being implemented, transport emissions could increase at a faster rate than emissions from the other energy end-use sectors and reach around 12 Gt CO2eq/year by 2050”.

Half of the emissions come from urban transport passengers and freight. Isolated solutions already exist but they should be embedded into strategic mobility planning policies that allow a better articulation between urban and transport policies, favour a modal shift from cars to public transport and active modes, and technological improvements of vehicles energy efficiency.

With the support of a coalition of international partners, MobiliseYourCity provides a methodological framework, capacity building and technical assistance and facilitates access to financing at both local and national levels. The initiative will set up an international reference platform to share best practices and expertise as well as academic knowledge about sustainable urban mobility planning. 

For more information, please see the leaflet on the initiative.