GFDT solicits grant proposals from World Bank teams each August. Proposals are reviewed by a committee of transport specialists each September, with funding disbursed to selected grantees each October.
Grantees provide regular progress reports to GFDT staff and partners. A comprehensive Results Framework ensures grant-funded activities meet GFDT’s objectives.
Grant: $200,000
In Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, rapid urbanization has exacerbated traffic congestion, road crashes, and air pollution. Existing public transport services suffer from inefficiency and poor safety standards, prompting residents to increasingly favor private modes of transport, further increasing congestion. Overcoming these many challenges require innovative solutions.
This GFDT grant will empower the newly established Transport Authority in the Kathmandu Valley to strategically reshape the urban mobility landscape. The project comprises two key components: the development of a sustainable public transport strategic plan, a bus reorganization strategy, and a pre-feasibility study for an integrated mass transit program; and the creation of a roadmap for electrifying buses and two- and three-wheelers. By remapping routes, promoting a shift to non-motorized transport, and decarbonizing the public transport sector, the project aims to significantly enhance transport efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability in the region.
Grant: $200,000
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and home to 5 of the continent’s 20 most populated urban areas. The rapid increase in vehicles in Nigeria’s urban centers, combined with limited public transport and poor road infrastructure, has led to severe congestion, unequal access to jobs and services, worsening air pollution, and rising greenhouse gas emissions, affecting the cities' competitiveness and inclusivity. However, there are significant opportunities for change. With strategic investments in climate-smart transportation infrastructure and services, plus effective policy measures, Nigerian cities can become resilient, efficient, and people-focused cities.
This GFDT grant will support the development of a transformative program of public transport enhancement and fleet renewal in Nigeria. Specifically, the project will provide technical assistance for the structuring of (i) a national program for public transport enhancement, and (ii) national fleet renewal programs, including the scaling up of e-mobility.
Grant: $200,000
In Benin’s “Grand Nokoué”—an area that comprises the economic capital (Cotonou), the administrative capital (Porto-Novo), and two residential communes (Abomey-Calavi and Sèmè-Podji)—roughly 250,000 moto-taxis operate, representing 70% of motorized trips. This ratio is increasing. These two-wheeler taxis, which are known locally as “zemidjans”, cause traffic congestion, road crashes, and air pollution. In addittion to these issues, it is estimated that zemidjans produce 2.1 million tons of CO2 (equivalent) annually, representing 15% of Benin’s total greenhouse gas emissions (2023).
This GFDT grant will advance the preparation of a World Bank fleet-renewal operation designed to accelerate the transition to e-motorcycles in Benin’s Grand Nokoué region, thereby supporting the modernization and decarbonization of informal transport in the region.
Grant: $200,000
Malawi has one of the smallest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprints in the world. Still, emissions are rising, and the transport sector is the main contributor to the country’s emissions. Malawi’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (2021) lays out an ambitious agenda to reduce emissions across multiple sectors. Meanwhile, Malawi is faced with a severe macroeconomic crisis which has led to the shortage of imported goods, including fuel shortage in the domestic market. Such shortage happened every other month, significantly impeding economic and social development.
This GFDT grant will support the development of an e-mobility assessment in Malawi, including a supply and demand assessment and a policy gap assessment. Based on these assessments, an e-mobility roadmap will be prepared and an e-mobility pilot project will be identified. The project aims to contribute not only to emissions reduction and low-carbon transport development, but also to the country's macro-stability, which has been an increasing concern in previous years.
Grant: $200,000
Baghdad's road network is characterized by near-constant congestion. The informal transport sector has eclipsed formal public transport services, which has led to a sharp increase in the number of small vehicles, while infrastructure capacity has stagnated.
This GFDT grant will support the Government of Iraq’s transport decarbonization agenda through the development of a green and comprehensive approach to Baghdad’s traffic problems. The project will assess the causes and full extent of Baghdad’s congestion problem, quantify its costs to the Baghdadi and Iraqi economies, and evaluate the most effective measures to manage congestion in the long-term without inducing additional vehicle kilometers of travel.
Grant: $200,000
Rail has shown to be a far less carbon-intensive method of hauling freight than road-based trucking. Even so, Pakistan Railways—the state-owned enterprise that operates Pakistan’s rail network—is relatively inefficient and uncompetitive, handling less than 6% of total freight movement. This has resulted in high emissions from the trucking sector that could be avoided.
This GFDT grant will enhance the capacity of Pakistan Railways to increase private sector participation in its freight operations. By restructuring its freight services, Pakistan Railways will become more competitive compared to trucking services, encouraging a greater portion of freight to be transported by rail and leading to reduced transportation emissions.
Grant: $200,000
Viet Nam and China face critical environmental challenges in their transport sectors. In Vietnam, escalating greenhouse gas emissions are driven by a heavy reliance on road transport, highlighting the need for a transition to electric mobility in line with the country’s climate goals. China, as the world's largest CO2 emitter, grapples with high motorization and urban congestion, necessitating innovative solutions like Emissions Trading Schemes (ETSs) to manage and reduce transport emissions.
This GFDT grant will catalyze transformative changes in both countries. In Viet Nam, the project will lay the groundwork for the electrification of bus fleets and the development of electric vehicle infrastructure, marking a significant shift towards sustainable urban mobility. In China, the project aims to design and implement a tailored ETS for the transport sector in Hubei Province. The ETS will focus on establishing a robust framework for emissions reduction, compliance, and reporting, thereby promoting the adoption of greener transport modes.
Grant: $200,000
Transport accounts for a significant and growing portion of global CO2 emissions. However, there is a lack of robust data and modeling tools to determine the most efficient decarbonization pathways for specific economic, social, and political contexts. This has resulted in inconsistent modeling methodologies, a lack of understanding of policy effectiveness, and ad-hoc policy recommendations.
To address the problem, this GFDT grant will fund the development of modeling tools for passenger and freight transport. These tools will estimate CO2 emissions, evaluate the impacts of decarbonization policies, and prioritize transport investments. Expected outputs include data repositories, tools for estimating economic benefits, and frameworks for evaluating reforms. These data and tools will serve as a policy scenario sandbox and decision-making support tool, enabling World Bank transport teams to rapidly design, test, and analyze the impacts of different policy bundles.
Grant: $700,000
The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has favorable conditions for e-mobility deployment due to its comparatively clean energy mix, high urbanization rates, and strong governmental interest. Electrifying public transport, and especially buses—which are heavily used in the region’s bustling cities—is a key priority as it reduces air pollution, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and offers long-term economic benefits. Despite over a decade of e-mobility pilots and numerous studies outlining its benefits, policy ambitions have not yet been translated to deployment at scale. Primary challenges include high investment costs and limited availability of affordable financing. There are also analytical gaps in understanding a) the factors driving high investment costs, b) the feasibility of various financial models based on the LAC context, and c) policymakers' capacity to plan and implement e-mobility initiatives.
This GFDT grant aims to fill these analytical gaps and support the identification and implementation of e-mobility initiatives that respond to government interest. The analysis will focus on four areas: (i) assessment and recommendations on e-mobility plans, strategies, or project concept development; (ii) examining barriers in financing e-bus deployment in the region and proposing practical financing models tailored to country and city contexts; (iii) developing practical technical and operational knowledge to support government programs, focusing on e-buses and e-boats, and (iv) supporting capacity building and knowledge exchange events.
Grant: $200,000
The EU is committed to decarbonizing its transport sector, and rail transport is crucial for achieving this goal as it generates far fewer CO2 emissions on a per-mile basis than roads and aviation. However, the rail sector in countries seeking to join the EU or seeking to develop corridors that connect to the region is underperforming, with low market share and fragmented infrastructure. The road sector's dominant market share for freight transport in these countries imposes significant environmental, safety, and infrastructure costs on the society. Further, fragmented infrastructure that follows national boundaries raises the cost of cross-national hauls. Tailored solutions, institutional support, and private sector participation are needed to revitalize the rail sector so that it can become the backbone of an integrated and competitive logistics system in the region.
This GFDT grant will evaluate current rail operations, identify actions to increase commercialization, develop new business models, and explore opportunities to boost private sector participation. By attracting passengers and cargo and tailoring services to their needs, the project aims to encourage a modal shift towards rail and thereby advance transport decarbonization. The outcomes of this project have the potential to inform rail sector reforms globally and benefit countries with EU accession ambitions and neighboring areas.
Grant: $600,000
Rail-based transport generally emits fewer greenhouse gases per ton-mile compared to road transport, primarily due to the efficiency of moving large volumes of goods or passengers in a single journey. Additionally, by alleviating congestion on roads, rail transport reduces the overall environmental footprint of logistics operations and can reduce travel times for commuters.
This GFDT grant will support the expansion of railways across Latin America, with a focus on sustainability and resilience. In Guatemala, the grant will support prefeasibility studies for the first metro system in the country in Guatemala City. When built, the metro system will reduce transport emissions and enhance access to jobs and essential services. In Jamaica, the grant will assess infrastructure and develop investment plans to revive and modernize Jamaica's railway system, which was once the backbone of its economy. In Mexico, PROTRAM—a federal program promoting sustainable transport in Mexico’s urban areas—will benefit from strengthened capacity for mass transit investments. In Argentina, the grant will fund studies to explore an open access model for freight railways, which could accelerate the shift of cargo transport from road to rail. Each initiative under the grant is a step towards a greener, more resilient future, driving down emissions and paving the way for sustainable growth.
Grant: $500,000
In the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, 35% of greenhouse gas emissions related to fuel combustion come from the transport sector—far exceeding the global average of ~22%. With the recent submission of updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, countries in LAC have strengthened their commitments towards sustainable development and a just climate transition. In many LAC countries, boosting public transportation is at the center of proposed actions to combat climate change, yet many cities are under-resourced and struggle to put in place the substantial policy and infrastructure changes needed to reverse trends in declining public transport ridership and attract commuters to more sustainable transport modes.
This GFDT grant will fund a package of analytics to inform a common vision for low-carbon urban transport among different levels of government in target countries in LAC. The activity has three components: (i) improving institutional structures and governance models for national and state-level urban transport programs; (ii) developing funding and financing models for public transport, walking, and cycling investments; and (iii) utilizing big data and open-source analytical tools to maximize the efficiency of urban transport systems.
Grant: $250,000
Nearly 91% of commuters in Lima, Peru, do not have access to safe, clean, and efficient transit services since the city’s transport infrastructure was built primarily to serve the needs of private cars. For instance, there are a lack of bus priority lanes, safe and connected bicycle lanes, intermodal transfer facilities, and adequate street design and signaling systems
The World Bank is preparing a 15-year Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) to help modernize transport in Lima. A major goal of the project is to decarbonize urban transport by (1) reducing demand for carbon-intensive transport through demand management strategies similar to "Barrios Vitales" in Bogota or "Supermanzanas" in Barcelona; (2) promoting low-emission transport modes such as mass transit, bicycles, and micro-mobility, and (3) improving the performance of the transport network by adopting more efficient technologies, such as improving traffic management systems to give priority for lower-carbon modes.
This GFDT grant supported the design and implementation of this transformative program through innovative data analytics and robust appraisal methodologies.
Read more about this GFDT-funded program in this blog post.
This GFDT-funded activity directly led to a World Bank-financed operation to transform urban mobility in Lima over 10 years, which was approved by the World Bank Board on October 15, 2024. Read more.
Grant: $400,000
India has made the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) a priority and is targeting 30% share of EVs in new vehicle sales by 2030. The Government of India has introduced favorable policies and incentives to drive EV adoption, however barriers remain such as regulations, lack of access to affordable commercial financing (especially for two- and three-wheelers), procurement and contract management issues for e-buses, and a lack of charging infrastructure. Additionally, the large-scale deployment of e-buses will require project financing at an unprecedented scale.
This GFDT grant will accelerate EV adoption in India through unlocking commercial financing at scale and supporting the promotion of alternative business models and new technological solutions such as battery swapping. The project has three main activities: (1) accelerating e-bus deployment across India through innovative financing instruments, (2) supporting Indian states and cities in efficient planning and operation of e-buses, and (3) supporting states to accelerate the adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers.
Grant: $750,000
GFDT is spearheading the development of an investment facility to unlock climate and development finance for low-carbon transport projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Regional Facility will help countries in the region harmonize policies and investment programs to promote electric cars, buses, and two and three-wheelers.
This GFDT grant will make a significant contribution to transport decarbonization across the region by bringing more climate and development financing into countries and cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The financing facility will also help improve transport accessibility for some of the region’s most vulnerable communities, especially by supporting reforms to modernize public transport.
Grant: $350,000
Transport accounts for almost half of Ghana’s energy-related GHG emissions. Bus electrification could help reduce the climate impact of the transport sector, but requires significant investment, coordinated planning, and technical know-how.
This GFDT grant will support a national program that will inform e-bus project preparation in select Ghanaian cities. Components include: (1) a gap analysis on e-bus adoption; (2) developing a strategic and systematic approach to bus electrification across the country; (3) supporting the e-bus development and transition plan in selected cities, in line with the national plan; and (4) capacity building workshops for transport leaders.
Grant: $350,000
Pacific Island nations rely heavily on imported fossil fuels, with land transport being the largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the region. Vehicle imports are growing rapidly, yet most Pacific Island countries have no or only a few vehicle import standards and quantity controls.
This GFDT grant will: (1) analyze options for a more sustainable urban mobility system in Pacific cities; (2) provide a comprehensive assessment of opportunities for sustainable motorization management; and (3) increase the governments’ capacity for developing decarbonization and resilience strategies in the urban transport sector.
Grant: $400,000
Millions in Africa’s Sahel region are facing food insecurity in 2023 in what is likely to be a protracted crisis. This challenge is exacerbated by poor logistics, climate vulnerability, and barriers to decarbonization and climate resilience. However, there are also many opportunities to build more efficient transport systems in the region while reducing emissions and enhancing resilience.
This GFDT grant will deliver: (1) an assessment of rural logistics and accessibility; (2) a review of barriers and opportunities for freight and logistics decarbonization; and (3) capacity building workshops for government officials and other decisionmakers.
Grant: $300,000
A mix of formal and informal public transport systems serve the Greater Cairo Region, home to over 20 million people. Overseen by a complex arrangement of regulatory bodies, public transit services are often unreliable and lack coordination. In fact, the average public transport user can only reach 20 percent of all jobs in the metro area within 60 minutes, which is one of the lowest accessibility rates among equivalent megacities. Personal safety is another major concern, particularly for female commuters.
This GFDT grant will advance the preparation of a World Bank lending operation to catalyze the low-carbon transition and digital transformation of public transport in Egypt.
