Transport is the lifeline of our societies and economies. Expanding passenger and freight transport services that are efficient, accessible, affordable, safe, sustainable and resilient is among the most impactful steps to enable inclusive communities and shared prosperity for a liveable planet. To achieve this, changes are required in policy, resources, practice, mental models and relationships for transport.
The 2026–2035 United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport, established by the UN General Assembly through resolution A/78/148, underscores the critical role of sustainable transport in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Decade must foster inclusiveness and strengthen transport services and infrastructure that are socially diverse, economically viable, environmentally responsible and resilient. Our new publication, Seizing the Decade: Reinforcing Sustainable Transport’s Central Role in Thriving Communities and Economies, aims to contribute to the ongoing work on the UN Implementation Plan for the Decade and:
- Spells out sustainable transport’s central role in thriving communities and economies,
- Outlines what the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport can achieve,
- Identifies four priority areas in shaping sustainable transport for the next ten years, and the levers of system change across policy, resource flows, practice, mentalities and relationships.
The paper is informed by the discussions held during the workshop co-organised in April 2025 by SLOCAT, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), in collaboration with FIA Foundation, Kühne Climate Center (KCC) and World Resources Institute (WRI). The workshop brought together a mix of participants from diverse professional backgrounds, geographies and transport development contexts, contributing to collective thought leadership and stakeholder engagement in the lead-up to the Decade.
The Case for Sustainable Transport
Four Priority Areas for the Decade
- Enabling Inclusive Communities and Realising Shared Prosperity by Expanding Efficient, Affordable, Safe, Sustainable and Resilient Freight and Passenger Transport
Only around half of the global urban population has convenient access to public transport, and just one-third has access to an all-weather road, revealing deep disparities in access to mobility and climate-resilient connectivity. Freight transport, contributing 5–10% of global GDP and moving 171 trillion kilometres of goods with three-quarters from international shipping alone, plays a critical role in boosting trade and regional integration, yet regional disparities can be seen as trade costs in Africa are five times the global average. Moreover, road congestion alone costs developed countries an estimated 1–2% of GDP, and travel time in rich countries is 50% shorter than in poor countries, highlighting the strong links between efficient transport, productivity, and economic development. Efficient and resilient transport systems are needed—with all way of transporting people and goods, that needs to be safe, affordable, inclusive and sustainable.
Transport is more than just a means to move from point A to point B. Transport provides people with access to services, jobs, schools, hospitals and socio-economic opportunities. Transport connects people, goods and markets. It enables economic prosperity and provides the opportunities people need to improve their lives.
- Create Decent Jobs and Protect Workers by Making Transport Professions Viable and Attractive
The transport sector provides a significant t share of global employment—193 million jobs, but only. Many of these jobs are informal, underpaid or unsafe, and only 12% are held by women. ensuring fair and decent work in both formal and informal transport sectors should be a key priorityThis includes ensuring labour rights, decent wages, social protections, safe working conditions, and career pathways—especially for women, young people and underrepresented groups. - Protect Health and the Planet by Improving Road Safety and Air Quality, and Increasing the Use of Clean Vehicles, Vessels, Aircraft and Energy
Transport account to 24% of global CO2 emission, but also contribute to 6% of global air pollution, with wide regional variations—from 3.2% in Africa to 12.6% in North America. The sector still relies on 95.4% fossil fuels, intensifying pollution and climate risks. It is vital to increase the uptake of low-emission vehicles, vessels and aircraft, and to phase out fossil-fuel-based transports.Each year 1.19 million people die on roads, worldwide, demanding urgent action. Priority must be placed on reducing road traffic fatalities, improving safety. - Enable Lasting Development Through Tailored Transport Solutions
Transport systems must respond to diverse regional realities.This means embracing local knowledge and designing systems that are culturally and economically relevant, rather than importing models that do not fit the local context.
How Can these Changes be Implemented?
The implementation plan of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport can harness the following systemic levers (i.e. strategic areas) that can create significant impact on transport systems for people and the planet.
- Changing Policies
Advance inclusive and sustainable transport infrastructure and services through integrated policy frameworks, modal shifts, energy efficiency and emission standards, clean energy and vehicles, and social dialogue. Ensure that all, especially vulnerable groups, can access services and opportunities through transport. - Changing Resource Flows
Redirect investment using sustainable taxonomies, fair pricing, subsidy reform and incentives for private investment to prioritise the expansion and upgrade of public and collective transport, railways, walking, cycling, multimodal freight transport, and low-emission fuels, energy sources, and vehicles, vessels and aircraft. Ensure inclusive access to finance, particularly for Low and Middle income countries (LMICs) and informal operators. - Changing Practice
Deliver multimodal services and facilities through land and energy planning, travel demand management, metropolitan planning, and shared fleets and assets, and intelligent systems. Strategically locate resources and activities from “source to end user”. Improve resilience planning and adaptation. Monitor and evaluate impact through SMART indicators - By Changing Mentalities
Drive transformation by engaging and educating all actors—users, workers, financiers, policymakers and civil society—through inclusive outreach and capacity building. - By Changing Relationships
Educate and innovate in systems thinking. Prepare for emerging transport jobs through workforce planning and skilling. Strengthen partnerships among governments, trade unions, businesses, civil society, academia and financiers.
The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport presents an opportunity to unlock and accelerate transformation across transport systems and services. This publication is a contribution to the UN Implementation Plan.
