Transport plays a pivotal role in driving global prosperity, contributing significantly to economic growth and employment. In 2021, it generated USD 6.8 trillion of the global GDP, employing nearly 193 million people worldwide. However, the sector is also the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible for 21.9% of global CO₂ emissions in 2023. Aligning transport systems with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target requires a transformative reduction in emissions—59% below 2020 levels by 2050.

The workshop was co-organised by GIZ, International Transport Forum (ITF), Global Network for Popular Transportation (GNPT), International Association of Public Transport (UITP), International Union of Railways (UIC), Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH), SLOCAT and World Resources Institute, with support from the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions team.

To address this urgency, SLOCAT & Partners convened the “Raising Ambition for Transport in NDCs” workshop, aimed at empowering policymakers with the tools to embed ambitious transport measures within their countries’ updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) while basing the knowledge of this workshop from the range of NDC guidance developed by the sustainable transport actors since 2024, including the Five point Plan for Transport in NDCs developed by SLOCAT.

Workshop Objectives and Structure

This collaborative event, held virtually across two sessions to accommodate global time zones, welcomed more than 90participants from 47 countries across Africa, Asia, Oceania and LAC, reflecting strong regional and stakeholder diversity. 

The workshop aimed to:

• Equip policymakers with practical tools for integrating actionable transport measures into NDCs.
• Foster peer-to-peer exchanges to identify shared challenges and opportunities, particularly across regions in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
• Align transport-specific climate actions with broader national priorities, such as economic development, social inclusion, and climate resilience.

The afternoon session featured keynote address, from Mr. Cloves Benevides, Undersecretary of Sustainability at Brazil’s Ministry of Transport, who detailed Brazil’s ambitious plans for sector-specific climate targets, sustainable infrastructure bonds, and the national sustainable taxonomy. Facilitated breakout discussions encouraged participants to engage actively, exchanging valuable insights and exploring country-specific contexts on the challenges and opportunities in setting transport GHG and non-GHG targets, as well as identifying sustianable transport actions in NDCs.

Through interactive exercises, participants explored various types of transport targets  in NDCs (both GHG and Non GHG), with knowledge exchange on their applicability based on specific national contexts. Robust discussions centred on identifying actionable transport measures aligned with the Global Stocktake Outcomes and the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework, essential for doubling the share of energy-efficient and fossil-free transport by 2030.

Participants shared innovative approaches, valuable lessons, and highlighted opportunities for enhancing transport contributions in their NDCs. Some highlights from countries include:

• Egypt underscored the need for balancing mitigation efforts with stronger adaptation strategies in transport to build resilience and secure adaptation finance.
• Maldives highlighted that the majority of their emissions are waterborne thereby, emphasised the importance of technology-driven solutions tailored to island states.
• Spain presented a proposed strategic policy shift by expanding Low Emission Zones (LEZs) to smaller towns, connecting urban air quality improvements to national climate commitments.
• Singapore set ambitious targets for 90% of peak travel to occur via walking and cycling, offering a mature urban model for significant modal shifts.
• Zambia showcased low-cost, high-impact mobility solutions such as walking and cycling, highlighting scalable projects that could benefit from improved NDC integration and financing.

Practical Tools and Guidance

Workshop attendees gained access to comprehensive resources, including: