At UN Secretary-General's
Climate Action Summits

Launched at the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, the ACT Initiative aims to catalyse transport as an enabler of sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

Launched at the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, the ACT Initiative aims to catalyse transport as an enabler of sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

A Global Coalition is Decarbonising the Transport Sector

In 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) called on all leaders to come to New York in September for the Climate Action Summit with concrete plans in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050. The Summit included the participation of national governments, sub-national actors, private sector leaders, indigenous peoples, youth and other civil society stakeholders. Together, they launched transformative initiatives in twelve critical areas. The UNSG has committed to overseeing the coordinated engagement of the UN system in implementing these Summit initiatives, along with the partners that have pledged to continue work on them.

On this occasion, for the first time, over 100 organisations came together in a bold, multi-pronged commitment to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport worldwide. The coalition delivers on its goals by connecting innovative approaches with integrated, long-term planning, speeding up the deployment of electric vehicles, creating a mass market for zero-emission freight vehicles, and fostering global dialogue arenas with and among the private sector.

The transport challenge is certainly daunting: Catering to the fast-growing demand for mobility while slashing GHG emissions, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable development. Without sustainable transport, the achievement of the 2030 Agenda will be impossible.

Transport is the fastest growing emissions sector and is responsible for 28% of energy-related GHG emissions. With business as usual scenarios, emissions will double by 2050.
Nevertheless, we CAN win this race – ACT is delivering results and works through four components.

Four Mutually Reinforcing Components

Component 1: Connects innovative approaches at a global scale with integrated long-term planning and policy-making processes at the city level in developing and emerging countries.

Component 2: Supports policy dialogue with governments and mayors, fostering an enabling environment for the mass rollout of
electric buses.

 

Component 3: Supports the creation of a mass market for zero-emission freight vehicles by increasing their global demand through commitments made by governments, cities, and private companies.

More information about the work being done by this component and ACTion Group ZEFV available here.

Component 4: Establishes global dialogue arenas with the private sector to connect key mobility stakeholders and structure collaborative dialogue to help accelerate measurable action.

Some Activities of ACT Initiative

TUMI and UITP have been co-leading the SuM4All Working Group “Sustainability of the E-mobility model” throughout 2020.
Between 16 members, they have produced a Policy Paper on how to introduce sustainable e-mobility. The report was launched as part of the Global Roadmap of Action toward Sustainable Mobility in Action Series of Sum4all on 10 May.
More info
BMZ, GIZ and TUMI formed a broad coalition of public and private sector organisations to establish a transition
to e-buses.
The TUMI E-Bus Mission will take place in 20 deep dive cities and up-scaling these efforts to more than 100 mentee cities until the end of 2022 and 500 cities until 2025.
More info
The ZEFV ACTion group is creating a mass market for zero-emission freight vehicles so that all road freight transport emits zero emissions by 2050.
The group championed by the TDA in collaboration with CALSTART/Drive to Zero and EV100/The Climate Group have released a Vision Paper describing how they intend to induce this mass market, steps on achieving these goals, and an overview of key stakeholders.
More info

Recent Features and Resources

ACT Coalition Open Letter to the United Nations:

Sustainable, low-carbon transport is vital to the health of communities and economies now and for the post-COVID-19 recovery

ACT Initiative Partners

Initiating Entities: National Governments, Cities and Other Sub-national Governments, Companies and Global Partners Leveraged through:

Germany

The Netherlands

Kenya

Singapore

Turkey

Denmark

France

Portugal

United Kingdom

Other ACT Signatory and Supporting Entities

The momentum created since the Climate Action Summit in 2019 has fostered an ecosystem of multiple stakeholders from governments, cities, NGOs, academia, the private sector and others.

Addis Ababa / Transport Bureau, Alstom, ASHOK LEYLAND LIMITED, Auckland, Banjamarsin, Barcelona, Birmingham, Bogotá, Bolloré / Bluebus, BREYTNER Zero Emission Transport, Busworld Foundation Family, BYD, C40, Caetano Bus, Cairo, CALSTART/Drive to Zero, Cape Town, Chennai, Copenhagen, Dar Es Salaam, Denmark, Despacio, ESMAP, Energias de Portugal (EDP), El Kelaa de Straghna, EV100/The Climate Group, EV Consult, FIA Foundation, Fortaleza, France, Germany, Greater Manchester, Guadalajara, Heidelberg, Hoi An, Honululu, ICLEI, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), International Road Federation, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Jinja, Kochi, Lagos, London, Los Angeles, MAN Truck & Bus, Medellin, Mexico City, Movin’On by Michelin, Milan, Nairobi, Netherlands, Oslo, Oxford, Paris, POLIS, Porto, Portugal, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Safra, Santa Monica, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Scania AB, Seattle, Seoul, Singra, SLOCAT Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport, Smart Freight Centre, Solaris Bus & Coach S.A., SuM4ALL, Sustainable Transport Africa (STA), Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA), Tevva Motors, Ltd., Tokyo, Trujillo, International Union of Railways (UIC), International Association of Public Transport (UITP), Urban Electric Mobiliy Initiative (UEMI), UN-Habitat, United Kingdom (DfT), Vancouver, VDL Bus & Coach, Volvo Bus Corporation, Warsaw, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), West Hollywood, Windhoek, WRI, YUTONG, Rotterdam, DB Schenker, Hoi An and Uppsala