Our collective influence in 2024

We, representing the multi-stakeholder perspectives of our respective organisations, urge robust action to double the share of energy efficient and fossil-free forms of land transport for people and goods by 2030. Action should focus on shifts to public transport, walking, cycling and rail freight, as well as electric vehicles and railways; while drastically scaling up the consumption of renewable energy and zero emission energy sources, towards fossil-free land transport by 2050.

Transport enables prosperity and livelihoods. In 2021, the sector contributed 7% (USD 6.8 trillion) of the global gross domestic product and employed 5.6% of the world’s workforce (193 million people). But under the current paradigms, the transport sector is not on track to achieve its global climate and sustainability goals. We emphasise that to achieve decarbonised and sustainability pathways, we urgently need worldwide transformations both in how people and goods are moved and how transport systems are powered. We need drastic reductions in emissions and energy demand coupled with improved access to integrated land transport systems that do not use fossil fuels. Making land transport systems for people and goods more equitable, accessible, healthy, decarbonised, sustainable and resilient will deliver cost-efficient and cross-cutting solutions at the intersection of equity, economic development, climate action, health, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Because of its near complete dependence on fossil fuels and the growing demand for transport, the transport sector accounted for 20.7% of global fossil fuel CO₂ emissions in 2022. In parallel, the share of renewable energy is only 4.1% of the total final energy demand in transport. Today, road transport contributes more than three quarters of transport CO₂ emissions. Traffic and fossil combustion of land transport negatively affect air quality, contributing directly to mortality and illnesses. Road crashes remain the leading cause of death among people under the age of 30 worldwide, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Most of the world’s population lacks access to affordable, safe, sustainable land transport and the demand for transporting people and goods is projected to increase substantially. This means that emissions, air pollution and energy demand from the land transport sector will continue rising.

Transport systems and livelihoods are at growing risk due to more frequent extreme weather events and rising sea level. Beyond the often-heavy human toll, the financial losses worldwide from direct damage to transport assets are huge with the monetary impacts of transport disruptions far exceeding the damages to the assets.

We underscore the need to enable less energy-demanding transport systems, less car-centric models for passenger transport and less road-centric models for freight transport, coupled with a just transition to a phase out of fossil fuels in land transport. Collectively, these actions will bring enormous opportunities for more inclusive, prosperous, healthy, sustainable and resilient communities. Strong signals from key energy consuming sectors like transport will also help accelerate the deployment of renewable energy capacity and infrastructure. Heightened momentum around a global renewable energy and energy efficiency target in the lead up to COP28 provides an opportunity for accelerating action between the transport and energy sectors.

It is essential to enhance action and cooperation at the international, national and sub-national levels on the policy and financing conditions to enable the acceleration of these transformations. Multi-level governance, multi-sectoral approaches, multi-stakeholder engagement and public-private cooperation are also fundamental.

Strategies to transform the transport and energy sectors are interdependent and can be mutually-reinforcing. Joining forces creates strategic opportunities and multiplies economic, societal and environmental benefits. It is clear: Incremental action is not enough and will push out of reach a liveable and equitable future. The transport and energy sectors both need immediate and radical transformation NOW.