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The Land Transport Criteria Version 2 establishes a framework for certifying green bonds in the transport sector, focusing on quantitative emissions thresholds and the exclusion of fossil-fuel-intensive assets. It prioritizes zero-direct-emissions vehicles and infrastructure, while setting specific benchmarks for passenger and freight transport to align with the Paris Agreement and the EU Taxonomy. The document details eligibility for various assets, including rail, road transport, and supporting infrastructure, while explicitly excluding biofuel vehicles and dedicated fossil fuel transport.

The Ferrogrão (EF-170) project is a proposed 930 km railroad designed to lower soy export costs from Mato Grosso by routing cargo through the Amazon rainforest to the Miritituba terminal. While intended to reduce carbon emissions, the project faces significant socio-environmental challenges, including a 2017 proposal to withdraw public access from BR-163/MT/PA that would have impacted nearly one million hectares of forests in conservation units. Despite legal challenges to environmental studies and public consultations between 2017 and 2018, the project's concession model was approved in July 2020. The analysis highlights a tension between the Brazilian government's push for infrastructure-led economic recovery and a global trend toward more rigid, sustainable socio-environmental investment standards, which are increasingly viewed by investors as a means to reduce financial risk.

The document argues that the current process of delimiting the area of influence (AoI) for infrastructure projects in Brazil lacks transparency and consistency, often relying on arbitrary distance-based criteria. It highlights a disconnect between Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). The authors propose a 'market access' methodology to better capture indirect impacts, particularly economic dynamics, and recommend that legislative proposals (PL 3729/2004 and PLS 168/2018) maintain the requirement to delimit indirect areas of influence to ensure proper mitigation and compensation.

The policy brief estimates that the construction of the EF-170 Ferrogrão railway will induce the deforestation of 2,043 square kilometers of native vegetation in Mato Grosso if no mitigation measures are implemented. This land-use change is projected to release 75 million tonnes of carbon, representing an environmental cost of approximately US$ 1.9 billion, which is about 60% of the project's estimated implementation cost of US$ 3.1 billion. The analysis uses a 'market access' approach to show how improved logistics for grain producers will increase demand for land, specifically affecting 38 municipalities.

The report analyzes climate policy performance in the transport and buildings sectors across CEE countries, highlighting specific successful initiatives. In transport, it identifies Romania's 'Rabla' car scrappage scheme, Hungary's Jedlik Ányos Action Plan for electric vehicles, Poland's electric bus rollout, Slovakia's railway modernization, and the Czech Republic's integrated public transport laws as regional benchmarks. In the buildings sector, it highlights Romania's EIB-financed thermal insulation, Slovakia's long-term retrofit support, Poland's solar collector promotion, and the Czech Republic's heat pump subsidies. The document argues that these 'first mover' experiences can be transferred across the region to accelerate the low-emission transition.

The document analyzes the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a US$3.8 billion project financed largely by China. It argues that most controversies surrounding the project—including corruption, land disputes, and labor tensions—stem from Kenya's neo-patrimonial political culture and governance failures rather than Chinese predatory behavior. While the SGR has provided local employment and skills training, the authors highlight concerns over its economic viability, the lack of transparent bidding, and the environmental impact on wildlife corridors in Tsavo National Park.

The report finds that 100% decarbonization of Indian Railways' traction electricity demand in Madhya Pradesh would be 26-28% cheaper than the business-as-usual pathway by 2030. This cost-effectiveness is driven by falling renewable energy and battery storage costs, contrasted with rising fossil fuel costs. The study emphasizes that an optimal mix of wind and solar power is essential to minimize balancing costs, which are expected to account for 5-8% of total costs by 2030. However, the report warns of significant policy and regulatory risks, particularly the lack of recognition of Indian Railways' deemed transmission and distribution licensee status by state governments and the difficulty in securing power banking arrangements.

The document analyzes proposed budget cuts in the FY2018 'skinny' budget, highlighting the elimination of bipartisan programs for low-income energy assistance, climate research, and rural transportation. It details specific reductions across the USDA, DOE, EPA, NASA, and the Department of State, arguing that the 'America First' approach prioritizes physical security and fossil fuels over climate resilience and international cooperation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of decarbonizing Indian Railways (IR) by 2030. It evaluates various pathways for the traction and non-traction segments, concluding that transitioning to renewable energy—specifically through captive generation at an accelerated rate—is significantly cheaper than a business-as-usual scenario. The report emphasizes the necessity of full electrification and identifies regulatory barriers regarding state-level net metering and open access policies.

The report assesses the decarbonization of Indian Railways (IR), the world's second largest railway network and India's largest electricity consumer. It identifies that transitioning to an electrified network is a prerequisite for decarbonization. The study compares eight pathways based on procurement (captive generation vs. purchasing), rate (accelerated by 2020 vs. normal by 2030), and technology (solar vs. solar-wind mix). Findings indicate that accelerated captive generation is the most cost-effective pathway for both traction and non-traction segments, offering savings of 32% and 61% respectively over business-as-usual scenarios. Implementation challenges include inconsistent state policies on net metering and open access, as well as the need for load balancing technologies like power banking and pumped hydro storage.

oekom research conducted a limited assurance review of SNCF Réseau's Green Bond Programme and found no evidence of non-conformance with the Climate Bond Standard Version 2.0 and the Low Carbon Land Transport eligibility criteria. The verification covered the selection of projects, internal processes and controls, and reporting requirements. SNCF Réseau intends to use the bond to (re-)finance low carbon rail transportation, with expected net proceeds between EUR 0.5 billion and 1 billion against forecasted financing requirements of approximately EUR 2.8 billion for 2016. The report confirms that SNCF Réseau has established processes for project eligibility, tracking of proceeds via an internal IT system, and plans for periodic assurance engagements.

The document argues that a general trend in Brazilian transport regulation seeks to reduce the economic profits of private concessionaires, which is being offset by hidden subsidies from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). This shift is claimed to erode incentives for private operators to select the most efficient projects and maintain high quality, thereby increasing costs for the agricultural sector. While highways and railways are seen as suffering from increasing regulatory complexity and unbundling, the port sector is highlighted as a relative success due to the deregulation of private usage terminals (TUPs), although the authors suggest further deregulation of public ports is needed.

Earthjustice, representing several environmental and community groups, opposes the proposed Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal's (OBOT) plan to export coal. The letter contends that coal shipment was never part of the original environmental reviews or development agreements, poses severe health risks through coal dust emissions, and lacks sufficient regulatory protections. It argues that the City of Oakland has the legal authority to prohibit coal exports to protect public health and safety without hindering the broader economic development of the former Army Base.

The Obama administration's FY 2016 budget proposal emphasizes an "all of the above" energy strategy and the Climate Action Plan, proposing significant funding increases for the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Key investments include $7.4 billion for clean energy technology, a proposed $4 billion Clean Power Plan Incentive Fund, and $1.29 billion for the Global Climate Change Initiative. The budget targets specific greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2020, 2025, and 2050, while funding diverse initiatives ranging from solar and wind energy to sustainable transportation and international climate finance.

The paper evaluates pathways to decarbonise the UK transport sector by 2050, finding that while road and rail can reach zero CO2 emissions, aviation and shipping remain significant barriers.

In July 2014, the Sierra Club and ForestEthics petitioned the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue an emergency order banning DOT-111 tank cars for shipping Bakken crude oil, citing their tendency to puncture and cause explosions. The petition and subsequent lawsuit were driven by a 4,000 percent increase in rail-shipped crude oil since 2005 and the failure of federal regulators to act on National Transportation Safety Board recommendations. The case was eventually dismissed following the release of a final tank car rule in May 2015.

Earthjustice, on behalf of Sierra Club and ForestEthics, petitions the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to ban legacy DOT-111 tank cars for transporting highly flammable crude oil. The petition argues that these cars pose an "unacceptable public risk" due to high failure rates in derailments, citing disasters in Lac Mégantic, Aliceville, and Casselton. While the DOT has initiated rulemaking and issued operational emergency orders, the petitioners contend these actions are insufficient and too slow to address the imminent hazard. They highlight that Canada has already implemented bans and surcharges on these cars, which may inadvertently push the most dangerous tank cars into the U.S. fleet. The document advocates for an immediate emergency order to bridge the gap until a formal rulemaking process establishes more robust safety standards, such as the CPC-1232 specifications or newer designs.

The transport sector in Kenya, which accounts for approximately 10 per cent of GDP, is highly vulnerable to climate impacts such as flooding and sea level rise, while simultaneously contributing 10 per cent of national greenhouse gas emissions as of 2010. The document outlines specific physical risks to infrastructure, such as the warping of rail tracks from higher temperatures and damage to ports from storms, noting that the 1997-98 El Niño floods caused transport infrastructure damage of Ksh 62 billion. To mitigate emissions, which are projected to reach 19 per cent of total national emissions by 2030, the briefing recommends the 'avoid-shift-improve' approach, increasing fuel efficiency in vehicle fleets, and shifting freight from road to rail. It also highlights the potential and controversies surrounding biofuels in Kenya, specifically the 'food versus fuel' debate.

The 2012 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory finds that core emissions (road transportation, building energy, and waste) declined 4% from 1990 to 2012 after accounting for offsets. While absolute core emissions remained relatively flat, per person core emissions decreased by 22% over the same period, despite a 23% increase in population and a 14% increase in jobs. Road transportation remains the largest core emission source at 64%, while building energy and waste account for 33% and 3% respectively. In an expanded view including industry and air/marine travel, total emissions were 6.0 million tons CO2e in 2012, representing a 1% reduction from 1990 levels, falling short of a 7% reduction target.

The Simandou Mountain Range in Guinea contains a major 'tier-one' iron ore deposit, but production has been delayed by legal disputes and infrastructure gaps. The document details a contentious history of mining rights involving Rio Tinto and Beny Steinmetz Group Resources (BSGR), including an FBI probe into alleged bribery. It argues that building a new 700 km railway to Conakry is prohibitively expensive and suggests instead refurbishing the 350 km Lamco rail link through Liberia to Buchanan to accelerate production and foster regional economic integration.