Report calls for public transport to double to meet climate targets

The group of C40 Cities and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have released a report calling for renewed investment in public transport in order to meet emissions reduction targets. According to the report, global public transport use must double by 2030 if nations are to meet the 1.5°C emissions targets necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

The report, a collaboration between the two organisations, urges further investment in public transport to deliver the comprehensive modal shift required to achieve the decarbonisation goals. It estimates that doubling public transport by 2030 would cut urban transport emissions by more than half and reduce air pollution from transport by up to 45%. Electrifying transport fleets, expanding bus and rail infrastructure and improving system accessibility, according to the report, would not only slash transport emissions and air pollution but also boost the quality of life and economic opportunities, particularly for low-income urban residents

The report also emphasises the positive impact on jobs across the sector, predicting 4.6 million new jobs in the nearly 100 C40 cities alone. London, for example, would gain 143,700 public transport jobs, while the UK as a whole would gain 161,900 additional jobs. Changing mobility patterns and new transport technologies are transforming the jobs and skills required across the mobility sector, while at the same time the pandemic has placed an incredible strain on the public transport workforce. The report regards renewed investment in the sector as an avenue for supporting the positive developments, thus ensuring job security and effective training.

The report also highlights the central role public transport can - and must - play in ensuring that urban transport remains accessible to all and warns against an overreliance on electromobility for private passenger cars. This, assert both organisations, is essential for ensuring a just transition to sustainable urban mobility. While public transport has been hit hard by the pandemic, the report asserts the need to encourage passengers back on board, with affordable and efficient services.

This full report is available here: C40/ITF Report: Making COP26 Count | ITF Global