The Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) launched its new report ‘Fuel Economy State of the World 2016: Time for Global Action’ on 5 December at an official UNFCCC side-event in Le Bourget. The event, entitled ‘Pathways to sustainable mobility through local, national, global and industry action’ was jointly hosted by IPIECA, Clean Air Asia, the Wuppertal Institute, and CTS Mexico/Embarq.

Adriana Lobo from CTS Mexico highlighted the importance of integrated urban planning to reduce emissions. She was followed by IPIECA who presented their work on the ‘Paris Puzzle’, which includes analysis on the future role of different fuels. Next Sheila Watson from the FIA Foundation and Executive Secretary of GFEI, launched GFEI’s new report, which comprehensively assesses progress on fuel economy and the potential for further improvement. She was joined by Drew Kojak, Executive Director of ICCT, and GFEI partner, who set out just how significant regulations have been in pushing fuel economy improvements; how those regulations are getting tougher and having greater effect; but how much further there is to go before even the entirely achievable GFEI targets are met. Glynda Bathan of Clean Air Asia then explored the co-benefits of transport action on climate change, including improved air quality and health. She set out some potential solutions, including new NMT infrastructure, and integrated logistics and planning.

These contributions ranging as they did across issues of extreme congestion, alternative energy scenarios and urban transport solutions, and could not have been more complementary, or more in tune with the ‘avoid, shift, improve’ paradigm of sustainable transport at COP21. They sparked a great Q and A session too – ably moderated by Holger Dalkmann from Embarq.

Download the ‘Fuel Economy State of the World 2016′ here.