Transport Sector Stakeholder Consultations | Session 01: Opportunities for Transformative Climate Action in Transport Sector in India

The transport sector, which includes road transport, railways, aviation and shipping, is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. In 2015, emissions from this sector represented about 10.5% of the country’s total emissions (GHGPI 2019), but that is set to increase. Road transport – the largest consumer of commercial fuel energy within the transportation system – accounts for 90% of the emissions, followed by civil aviation (6%), railways (3%) and water borne navigation (1%).

If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here:

India seeks to address future energy requirements through sustainable transportation options. There are several actions that have been initiated or implemented in India with a focus on “Shift” and “Improve”. These actions have the potential to accelerate the transition to low-carbon sustainable transport in India.

• As vehicle ownership in India is set to rise substantially, electric vehicles have been identified as one of the most promising ways to increase energy security and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other pollutants. Vehicle electrification clubbed with more renewables in the energy mix improves local air quality and reduces carbon dioxide emissions in support of national climate goals.
• The Government of India has also launched its draft national logistics policy in Feb 2019 (Ministry of Commerce 2019) which aims to align freight movement with international benchmarks of 25-35% share of road, 50-55% share of railways and 20-25% share of waterways.

These actions not only offer an opportunity to accelerate the decarbonization of transport sector but also play a key role in informing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in India.

These stakeholder consultations aim to:

• Highlight the critical role of transport sector in mitigating climate change and informing future NDCs.
• Review two topics - “Decarbonization of Urban Transport” and “Decarbonization of Road Transport” - to accelerate uptake of low-carbon passenger and freight transport activities.
• Engage stakeholders at all levels - national, sub-national, government officials, local practitioners, representatives of transport organizations, the private sector, OEMs, civil society - in structured dialogues over three sessions, to discuss challenges and opportunities in implementing low carbon solutions.
• Provide recommendations to stakeholders to scale up implementation and support in favour of future of low carbon transport.

Speakers

• Dr OP Agarwal, CEO, WRI India
• Mr Chirag Gajjar, Head, Subnational Climate Action, Climate Program, WRI India
• Anumita Roy Choudhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment
• Mr Shashi Verma, Director of Strategy and Chief Technical Officer, Transport for London
• Mr RR Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow and Programme Director, Earth Science and Climate Change, TERI
• Mr Holger Dalkmann, Founder and CEO, Sustain 2030