Cities today account for over 70% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and private cars that run on fossil fuel are a primary contributor. With the demand for passenger transport set to expand by nearly 75% by 2050, cities urgently need to get the fundamentals of urban transport right to avoid disastrous long-term consequences.
According to a World Bank report, Decarbonizing Urban Transport for Development, the path to low-carbon urban transport looks fundamentally different in developed and developing countries. Most developing countries have not yet fully developed their land use and transportation infrastructure around cars, leaving a window of opportunity to chart a new path to low-carbon, efficient and inclusive urban transport. Whereas developed countries may focus on electrifying existing fleets, developing countries can build their transport systems from the ground up with a low-carbon approach at the core that allows for more growth in the future.
Most of the changes that take carbon out of urban transport also make cities more livable, suggests the report. Building effective public transport systems, bicycle lanes, and safe pedestrian routes all reduce traffic and local pollution while increasing citizens’ ability to access jobs, health services and education. The report provides a framework that can help cities leverage these synergies and create transport systems that will reduce emissions while supporting inclusive economic growth and other development outcomes.d
“With comprehensive action, developing countries can build transport infrastructure and services in a new way that will require much less expensive ‘retrofit’ for climate and livability later on,” says Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, World Bank Global Director for Transport. “Reducing the impact of urban growth on transport-related emissions is achievable. But, doing so requires a complete paradigm shift in the way cities plan, design, operate and prioritize investments for urban passenger and freight transport.”
Decarbonizing Urban Transport for Development synthesizes available research to paint a picture of how transport in developing country cities is already falling short of what people need. For example, even though car ownership in African capitals ranges between just 12-25%, road construction and maintenance eat up most transport budgets. Meanwhile, more than 40% of people in African cities travel by foot for lack of other options. Cars dominate 95% of road space in developing country cities, while sidewalks are rare. In Dakar, Senegal, for example, only 4% of urban roads have sidewalks.
