Advancing the mobility transition

The transport sector is responsible for roughly a quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions and is characterised by rapid growth, particularly in the motorised private transport segment.

If current trends in motorised transport are not countered sufficiently and at an early enough stage, there is a risk of emissions being ‘locked in’ by a widespread car-centric transport infrastructure.

The decarbonisation of the transport sector is therefore a key factor in achieving the Paris climate targets.

Avoid – Shift – Improve – Fuel Switch

‘Avoid – Shift – Improve – Fuel Switch’ is recognised worldwide as an effective approach to sustainable mobility: unnecessary journeys are avoided, people and goods are encouraged to switch to more environmentally friendly modes of transport, transport efficiency is improved and energy sources in the transport sector are decarbonised. 

Many solutions for this already exist and have been tested in both passenger and freight transport. The International Climate Initiative (IKI) takes up such projects and supports national and local governments in its partner countries in effectively increasing their investments in sustainable mobility projects and in realigning their transport policies and planning. Key aspects of the IKI’s work in passenger transport include support for local public transport and the integration of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in order to create clean, safe, affordable and accessible mobility options.

IKI priority field of action

In the field of mobility transition, alongside the traffic avoidance and modal shift approaches, the IKI particularly addresses the large and growing sources of emissions. 

An energy transition in the transport sector is key to embarking on low-emission development paths with less reliance on fossil fuels. 

In order to identify suitable instruments and measures that will enable the transport sector to make a substantial contribution to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), a reliable data basis is required. The IKI therefore aims to ensure that partner countries in which rapid motorisation is expected have developed robust MRV (Measurement, Reporting and Verification) systems for their transport-related emissions by 2030. 

Decarbonisation scenarios for transport will then be developed on the basis of these emission models and integrated into the partner countries’ NDCs. The IKI’s objective is for as many partner countries as possible to have defined action plans for the energy transition in the transport sector and started implementing concrete measures. 

These include both regulatory instruments – such as mobility strategies and laws, environmental zones or the standardisation of vehicle standards – and direct measures, including the expansion of existing local transport systems, the provision of innovative mobility solutions through digitalisation and the broad-based electrification of public transport and delivery fleets. 

The IKI also aims to promote sustainable solutions for international air, sea and road freight transport. In line with the transformation of the energy system in the partner countries, the focus here is on supporting the production and use of emission-free fuels, for example through sustainably generated electricity or hydrogen.

Funding area: Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions

The IKI wants to maximise its impact on climate action and biodiversity conservation. To this end, it concentrates its funding activities on prioritised fields of action within the four funding areas. Another key element is the close cooperation with selected partner countries, especially with the IKI’s priority countries.

Click here for the IKI Strategy