The COVID-19 pandemic has sent a shock wave through our society, and is permanently changing the world as we know it. Our global economy has been severely disrupted, from supply chains and markets, to workers and trade, laying bare the weaknesses in our overall preparedness for disasters and global crises.

We, as the sustainable, low carbon transport community, must reflect on the significant implications the pandemic is currently having on how we move people and goods, as well as what this will mean for the future of transport. We, as a community, must ensure that we use this pivotal moment to advance our vision for more equitable, accessible, and low carbon transport systems, while working together to do our part in combating the spread of COVID-19.

SLOCAT is gathering relevant information, resources, and virtual events on COVID-19 and its impacts on transport to help further this mission. Please always refer to the WHO advice for the public on COVID19 and local information. Please note that the below information and resources do not necessarily represent the views, recommendations, or priorities of SLOCAT, and are meant for informational purposes only. This page will be updated regularly.

Events

Please click here to see how events and meetings related to sustainable, low carbon transport have been affected.

Articles + General Resources

Immediate impact of COVID-19 on sustainable transport:

• The COVID-19 outbreak and implications to sustainable mobility – some observations by TUMI – Sebastian Ibold/GIZ China, Nikola Medimorec/SLOCAT, Armin Wagner/GIZ
• El brote de COVID-19 y las implicaciones para el transporte público: algunas observaciones (Spanish translation of the TUMI article above)
• COVID-19: Keeping things moving, examples of how local authorities are keeping things moving despite the Covid-19 crisis by POLIS
• COVID-19 Could Affect Cities for Years. Here Are 4 Ways They’re Coping Now by Schuyler Null and Hillary Smith/WRI
• Beyond the Lockdown – Planning for Transportation in the Coronavirus Era by Ride Healthy
• The Guardians of Mobility: Keeping Cities Alive and Moving by UITP
• An Open Letter for the European Institutions: UITP and Fellow Associations Advocate for the Continuity of Public Transport by UITP
• As the Impacts of Coronavirus Grow, Micromobility Fills in the Gaps by ITDP
• Should you take public transit during a pandemic? by Terry Nguyen/VOX
• Is Free Transit Safer? As Ridership Drops, Some Agencies Cut Fares by David Zipper/CityLab
• Researchers call on government to enable safe walking and cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Bogotá expands bike lanes to curb coronavirus spread by Sarah Wray/SmartCitiesWorld
• A Surge in Biking to Avoid Crowded Trains in N.Y.C. by Winnie Hu/New York Times
• Uber and Lyft suspend pool rides in US and Canada to reduce the spread of coronavirus by Alicia Lee/CNN
• Estimated Financial Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Transit Agencies: $26-$38 Billion Annually by TransitCenter
• How Europe’s bicycle industry reacts on coronavirus impact by Bike Europe
• Post-Pandemic, Chinese Cities Gradually Reopen Transport Networks by ITDP

The following pages aggregate information and resources on COVID-19, specific for transport, many of which are being continuously updated:

• UITP – Management of COVID-19: Guidelines for Public Transport Operators  available in 8 languages
• Compilation of efforts cities are making to expand access to walking, bicycling, and even transit as part of their COVID-19 response
• International Transport Forum – COVID-19
• Intelligent Transport – How is coronavirus affecting the global transport sector? Live updates
• TUMI – Corona Transport Knowledge Platform and COVID-19 and Transport Twitter Feed
• Women Mobilize Women Corona Twitter Feed
• UNCTAD Coronavirus (COVID-19) : News, Analysis and Resources
• WHO – COVID-19 Situation Reports
• C40 – Cities and Coronavirus COVID-19
• European Commission – Coronavirus response: Transport measures 
• American Public Transportation Association – Public Transit Response to Coronavirus or COVID-19 (Resources, Community Forum, dedicated email hotline)
• Transit – Resources for transit agencies responding to coronavirus
• National League of Cities – COVID-19: Local Action Tracker

Impact on Freight:

• UNECE launches Observatory on Border Crossings Status due to COVID-19
• Coronavirus adds hurdle for air cargo industry saddled with demand slump
• Smart Freight Center – Supply Chains in the Time of Corona
• Coronavirus Impact Seen Prolonging U.S. Freight Slump
• COVID-19 And Supply Chain Implications For Ocean Shipping
• Flow of goods slows as Poland tightens borders
• Take-out pick up zones coming today (City of Seattle, Washington)
• Amazon to Hire 100,000 Warehouse and Delivery Workers Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns

Lessons and the legacy of COVID-19 on sustainable transport:

• COVID19 Legacy: The Death of the Avoidable Car Trip? by Kea Wilson/STREETSBLOG USA
• Is it time to postpone the 2020 Climate Summit? by Felix Dodds
• Cycling Towards Resilient Cities: What Urban Mobility in Times of Crisis Can Teach Us by Lucas Snaije/Bicycle Mayors 
• Yet another crisis/opportunity to redefine mobility. How could we achieve it this time? by Carlos Pardo 
• Will scooters survive the COVID-19 crisis? by Jason Plautz/Smart Cities Dive 
• What would happen if the world reacted to climate change like it’s reacting to the coronavirus? by Adele Peters/Fast Company 
• COVID-19 outbreak response: first assessment of mobility changes in Italy following lockdown by the COVID19 Mobility Monitoring project 
• *COVID-19 vs Climate* Global CO2 levels have temporarily stopped rising, likely due to the industry slowdown as the world battles the new Coronavirus by Andrej Flis/Global Weather

Webinars + Online Forums

Key Messages on COVID-19

• WHO: Five steps to kicking out coronavirus
• UN-Habitat’s Key Messages on COVID-19
• Key messages from the IPPC Secretariat on plant health and Covid-19
• ECF: COVID-19 and Bike Repair Shops

Avoid-Shift-Improve Instruments for COVID-19

TUMI developed in coordination with SLOCAT and the wider transport community an application of the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework. Instruments that can support mobility during COVID19 have been identified and structured by Avoid (avoiding any non-essential travel), Shift (shifting to most essential traffic) and Improve (improving essential transport modes). The suitability of each instrument depends on the degree of the COVID19 outbreak in each respective region. All measures should be aligned to general health recommendations and rules of conduct.