"Coalition of the willing" to decarbonise transports is launched in Germany

The Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA) was officially launched on 24 May, in Leipzig, Germany.
The TDA Members, of which the Atlantic Front comprising the cities of Porto, Matosinhos and Vila Nova de Gaia are founding members, join forces to promote the global transformation of the transport sector. The urgent measures on the climate agenda are speeding up the implementation of a net-zero emission mobility system before 2050. 

The so-called "coalition of the willing", which includes leading countries, cities and companies, struggles to raise both the public and private awareness on such matters as it is vital that all transport sectors undersign the Paris Agreement ?s objectives.

Elisabeth Borne, the French Minister for Transport, highlights that "without firm action on growing transport emissions the Paris Agreement will fail. We will work with other countries, cities and companies with high ambition in the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance to spearhead the global decarbonisation of the transport sector and demonstrate it is not a dream, but a reality, with concrete existing solutions".

Heads of States, Mayors and CEOs are committed to decarbonize land, aviation and maritime transport before 2050, targeting emissions from all modes of passenger and freight transport.

This is an important first step involving countries, cities and companies to jointly catalyse the transformation of the transport sector.

António Martins da Costa, Executive Board Member for Sustainability, of EDP Portugal stated that it is possible to reduce transport greenhouse gas emissions as "it brings significant co-benefits in terms of safety and economic development - and is great business opportunity. With our partners in the Decarbonisation Alliance we look forward to being at the forefront of this transition".

Transport emissions represent 25% of energy related greenhouse gas emissions and this scenario is rapidly changing with emissions projected to rise at global level. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is aiming at a net zero emissions economy by the second half of the century. The TDA will facilitate the debate on decarbonisation regarding global, regional, national, local and corporate policy processes.

As Mayor of the City of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb declares "cities offer many opportunities to meet the climate goals in transport and at the same time improve spatial quality and the health of our citizens. We already see the changes in Rotterdam, but to scale up the de-carbonisation of transport we have to work closely together with the Dutch government and the private sector".

Porto is a founding member of this international coalition, jointly with the municipalities of Matosinhos and Vila Nova de Gaia. Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, sees road traffic in the VCI as one of the largest producers of CO2 at local level. Participating in the TDA reaffirms Porto's commitment towards building an environmental sustainable city.