Publication Date: January 2025
Developed under the UK’s High Volume Transport Applied Research Programme, the Transport Decarbonisation Index (TDI) provides a comprehensive framework designed specifically to benchmark the sustainability and decarbonisation readiness of surface transport systems in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The TDI enables countries to align their transport sectors with global climate commitments, notably the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals..
This brief aims to inform stakeholders on the results and lessons from the benchmarking phase, offering a comparative lens on transport sustainability while enabling local adaptation. This one-of-a-kind initiative not only evaluates mitigation potential but also promotes capacity building, data transparency, and cross-country collaboration.
Key messages:
- LMICs can use the TDI to identify critical transport sector gaps, shape targeted policies, and boost access to international climate finance.
- Benchmarking across 12 countries highlighted stark differences in areas such as walkability, clean fuel policies, and public transport investments—revealing context-specific priorities for action.
- The TDI empowers countries to address transport challenges while maintaining low baseline emissions, particularly in settings with strong renewable energy potential.
- Significant data gaps, particularly in African countries and the freight sector, hinder effective transport planning and require coordinated investment in data systems.
- TDI scores should be used constructively, not punitively—serving as a springboard for collaborative learning and action towards net zero transport systems.
While grounded in a robust benchmarking methodology using harmonised global datasets, the TDI reveals persistent data limitations and calls for improved transport data collection in LMICs. The TDI provides policymakers, funders, and development institutions with an actionable entry point to foster sustainable mobility, climate resilience, and development equity. Strategic use of TDI results can help LMICs prioritise interventions, unlock finance, and strengthen integration of transport within climate commitments such as NDCs and SDGs.
The TDI project is part of the High Volume Transport (HVT) research programme funded by UK Aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The project is implemented by the HVT consortium partners: SLOCAT, Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI) and experts Lewis Fulton, Pierpaolo Cazzola and Jacob Teter.
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This publication is connected to the SLOCAT activities:
