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XI. Transport systems and services are resilient in extreme weather events and other shocks.

Transport systems have to stay operational in moments of disaster and under changing climate conditions. Priority for adaptation must be given to the most critical, most sustainable systems. Design of new transport systems must be updated for resilience. Critical value chains and mobility services should be identified and dependency on single modes and single points of access, e.g., a single road, be eliminated. National and cross-border coordination must work towards ensuring connectivity of critical value chains and functionality of infrastructure and services.

The Global South, where many transport systems still have to be developed, now has the opportunity to adopt new, resilient and low-carbon transport systems design, and avoid sunk investments and costly retro-fitting in the near future.

Facts and figures

Transport adaptation in NDCs: While climate adaptation has received greater attention in second-generation NDCs, adaptation measures for the transport sector are limited and focus largely on infrastructure resilience. More efforts are needed to include these important measures and supporting institutional frameworks in climate strategies. (Read more: Climate Strategies for Transport)

Catalytic measures

Finance transport investments based on their contribution to low-carbon and sustainable mobility
Invest in affordable and decarbonised public transport and level of service
Inform transport planning by user needs and data
Allocate more safe space to walking and biking
Prioritize and promote active modes, micromobility and public transport (e.g. dedicated lanes, improved availability of services and facilities, awareness and marketing of active modes, micromobility and public transport)
Digitise public services for remote access, e.g., tax, social security
Support teleworking through legal frameworks (labour law, investment in teleworking infrastructure)
Adapt construction and maintenance of critical infrastructure for extreme weather events
Identify critical services and develop disaster management plans
Promote the restructuring of supply chains to reduce freight transport (e.g. nearshoring)
Promote the optimization of intermodal solutions: e.g. better integration between road, rail and inland waterways to reduce GHG and increase efficiency (synchromodal, digitalization, etc.)

Other resources