The Road to Sustainable Transport

The document argues that transport is a critical driver of development but a major source of emissions, accounting for 23% of energy-related CO2. It defines sustainable transport as safe, affordable, and efficient mobility that minimizes environmental impacts. The report details the evolution of international policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the Sustainable Development Goals, and provides examples of successful interventions, such as Jakarta's BRT system and various cities' shifts toward active mobility (cycling and walking). It specifically notes the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for structural changes in urban transit, though it warns that 30 major economies continue to provide significant subsidies to fossil fuels over clean energy.

• Transport has a significant environmental footprint, representing approximately 23% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, 27% of total energy use, and 64% of global oil consumption.
• Urbanization is driving a massive increase in transport demand, with the global urban population expected to grow by 2.5 billion people by 2050, 90% of whom will be in Asia and Africa.
• Jakarta, Indonesia, implemented the world's longest bus rapid transit (BRT) system, Transjakarta, which spans over 250 km and served one million passengers per day as of February 2020.
• Despite global efforts, access to public transport remains limited, with only 50% of the world's urban population having convenient access as of 2019 data from 610 cities.
• The COVID-19 pandemic provided a temporary reduction in pollution and an opportunity for cities to implement active mobility infrastructure, such as Bogotá's 84 km emergency bike network and Milan's 35 km of expanded bicycle lanes and sidewalks.
• China leads the global transition to electric public transit, possessing more than 400,000 electric buses, which constitutes approximately 99% of the world's total.
• Financial priorities in 30 major economies still favor fossil fuels, with approximately USD 268 billion pledged to them, representing 47% of public money for energy-intensive sectors compared to 35% for clean energy.

APA

Mead,, L. (2021). The Road to Sustainable Transport. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/road-sustainable-transport

Chicago

Mead,, Leila. The Road to Sustainable Transport. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/road-sustainable-transport.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mead, |first1=Leila |title=The Road to Sustainable Transport |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=24 May 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/road-sustainable-transport |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mead2021road, author = {Mead,, Leila}, title = {{The Road to Sustainable Transport}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/road-sustainable-transport}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }