Jack Short, Secretary General of the ITF

The UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen is looking at ways to achieve cost effective greenhouse gas emissions from transport in a key meeting which aims to build on the approach taken by the 50by50 Global Fuel Economy Initiative.

The International Transport Forum, which partners the FIA Foundation, the UN Environment Programme and the International Energy Agency in the 50by50 campaign, hosted the Copenhagen event on 15 December 2009. Bianca Jagger, Founder and Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation and Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador, and Jack Short, Secretary General of the ITF gave keynote speeches.

Concentrating on cost-effective policy options to substantially reduce transport emissions, an expert panel of high-level speakers from the automotive industry, the UN bodies responsible for international aviation and maritime transport, the International Energy Agency and the transportation research community discussed how, how much and at what cost the transport sector can contribute to ambitious GHG targets.

Sheila Watson, Executive Secretary of the 50 by 50 Global Fuel Economy Initiative said: “This high level event in Copenhagen today gives us a crucial opportunity to look at the issue of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. The 50by50 Global Fuel Economy Initiative is a key part of this. A move across the global fleet towards far better fuel economy at a scale which is already technically achievable, could save close to half of CO2 emissions from cars and would make an important contribution. This seminar at the UN climate change summit should take the agenda forward.”
 
Bianca Jagger said that all sectors, particularly transport have a part to play. “Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue: it touches every part of our lives: peace, security, human rights, poverty, hunger, health, mass migration and economics,” she said. “All sectors will have to contribute to a lasting solution – this means that transport will have to significantly de-carbonise itself.”

ITF Secretary General Jack Short said: “There are low-cost opportunities for GHG emission reductions in transport and a surprising number of them can actually save money by reducing fuel expenditures. Yet there are very real barriers that prevent these win-win strategies from being implemented – there is a clear role for pro-active policies including standard-setting and carbon-trading in overcoming them”.

For more information, see: http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/Proceedings/COP15/index.html