Public transport on the Climate Action Agenda
As momentum builds towards COP31 later this year, public transport is becoming an increasingly important part of international climate discussions.
Throughout June, a series of major global events demonstrated growing recognition that sustainable mobility is essential to achieving climate goals, strengthening energy security and building more resilient cities.
From the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn to the Clean Energy Ministerial and London Climate Action Week, UITP was actively contributing to the conversation, ensuring that public transport remains firmly on the climate action agenda.
Public transport recognised at the UN Climate Change Conference
On 10 June, the UN Climate Change Conference took place in Bonn, bringing together governments and stakeholders to advance negotiations and review progress since COP30.
During the session “The Global Climate Action Agenda: Proof of Progress”, UITP’s contribution to the COP Action Agenda was highlighted through its commitment to train 20,000 public transport professionals, helping address the sector’s skills shortage as it prepares for the future.
Referenced during remarks by the COP30 Climate High-Level Champion, UITP’s commitment demonstrated that the public transport sector is not only supporting global climate ambitions but actively delivering on them. It also reinforces the sector’s contribution to both the COP process and the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport.
Connecting transport and energy at the Clean Energy Ministerial
Also in June, the latest Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), hosted by the European Commission, brought together more than 300 participants from over 25 countries to accelerate the global transition to clean energy.
The CEM is a high-level forum that promotes policies and programmes to advance clean energy technologies and strengthen international cooperation.
This year’s discussions placed particular emphasis on breaking down traditional silos between sectors, especially transport and energy, recognising that neither transition can succeed in isolation.
Participants explored closer collaboration between the two sectors, while discussions also considered a potential new Clean Energy Ministerial campaign on transport decarbonisation, expected to launch next year.
The growing focus on integrated approaches reflects increasing recognition that decarbonising transport will be essential to achieving global energy and climate objectives.
London Climate Action Week
In June, UITP participated in London Climate Action Week, co-organising the session Integrated Approaches to Scaling Renewable-Based Transport and Energy Systems with REN21, the FIA Foundation and the SLOCAT Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport.
Bringing together leaders from the transport, energy and climate communities, including representatives from the COP31 Presidency, the dialogue will help shape the COP Action Agenda’s Plans to Accelerate Solutions (PAS) and broader transport discussions at COP31 later this year.
Discussions focused on three key priorities: securing upfront financing for large-scale investments, accelerating electrification while strengthening electricity grids, and better aligning transport and energy planning, policies and investment.
A clear message emerged: the transition to renewable energy cannot rely on technology alone. While electrification is essential, reducing energy demand through public transport, walking and cycling is equally important. Together, these approaches create transport systems that are more efficient, resilient and affordable.
UITP emphasised that sustainable mobility must be central to the renewable energy transition. In cities, the cheapest barrel of oil is the one that is never burned.
Public transport, together with walking and cycling, is the most energy-efficient form of urban mobility, reducing fuel consumption, congestion and emissions while strengthening energy security. At scale, these measures can reduce transport-related emissions by up to 50%.
This vision underpins UITP’s Plan to Accelerate Solutions on Sustainable & Public Transport in Cities, launched at COP30, which places public transport at the heart of the COP Presidency’s climate agenda and demonstrates how sustainable mobility can accelerate climate action worldwide.
On the road to COP31
June’s climate discussions shows that public transport is no longer seen solely as a transport policy issue, but as a key solution in climate action.
As preparations continue for COP31, electrification and renewable energy will remain central themes of the COP Action Agenda. However, achieving these ambitions will require an integrated approach that combines clean energy with investment in public transport, active mobility and demand reduction.
UITP will continue working with partners across the transport, energy and climate communities to ensure that sustainable mobility remains at the centre of international climate discussions.
As these agendas become increasingly interconnected, COP31 also presents an important opportunity to elevate political leadership by bringing transport and energy ministers together to accelerate coordinated action towards a cleaner, more resilient future.