Willis Transportation Outlook

The Willis Transportation Outlook examines how transport infrastructure serves as a primary driver of global economic development and wealth creation. It highlights a shift in aviation and trade growth toward Asia and the Middle East, while developed nations like the UK struggle with political instability and aging infrastructure. The document emphasizes the transition toward 'intelligent mobility'—using smart data and connectivity to reduce congestion—and the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure to withstand extreme weather. It also explores innovative funding models like Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and the role of China's investment in African transport networks.

• Transport infrastructure is a fundamental driver of economic growth, with its direct impact accounting for between 6 and 12 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in developed countries.
• The aviation industry is experiencing a geographic shift in growth toward the East, with Boeing predicting that 37 per cent of all airplane deliveries over the next 20 years will be for the Asia-Pacific region.
• Climate change and extreme weather are creating a 'new normal' for transport operations, leading to increased costs and the need for resilient infrastructure to handle events like flooding and heat-related bushfires.
• Intelligent mobility, driven by smart data and the 'internet of things', is expected to create a market worth £900 billion by 2025, offering potential to reduce road congestion by 10 per cent through better data access for drivers.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become a dominant model for funding infrastructure in many countries, though the UK has faced criticism over the high costs of its PFI projects, totaling £301 billion in repayments for 719 projects prior to July 2012.
• China is significantly expanding transport infrastructure in Africa to facilitate the export of minerals and natural resources, including a $3.8-billion railway link between Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya.
• In the US rail sector, the primary challenge has shifted from high-speed rail—which has lost momentum in most regions—to managing the conflict between passenger services and high-risk freight, such as crude oil transport.
• Logistics providers are increasingly adopting 'near-shoring' and multi-modal shifts (such as sea-air) to reduce carbon emissions and costs; for example, Philips reported a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions through these shifts.

APA

Climate Strategies (n.d.). Willis Transportation Outlook. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/transportation-outlook-final-pdf.pdf

Chicago

Climate Strategies. Willis Transportation Outlook. n.d. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/transportation-outlook-final-pdf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Strategies |title=Willis Transportation Outlook |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/transportation-outlook-final-pdf.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatestrategiesndwillis, author = {{Climate Strategies}}, title = {{Willis Transportation Outlook}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/transportation-outlook-final-pdf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }