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YouTubeFIA Foundation leads transportation talks at COP
Deputy Director of the FIA Foundation Sheila Watson led high-level discussions on issues of transport decarbonisation and inclusivity discussions at the COP 25 in Madrid.
The UN Climate Change Conference COP 25 is designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. Following agreement on the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement at COP 24 in Poland last year, a key objective is to complete several matters with respect to the full operationalization of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
‘Decarbonizing transport: Promoting E-Mobility in Developing Countries’ showcased the GEF Global E-Mobility Programme, in partnership with the IEA and UNEP (a GFEI Partner) which is supporting an initial set of 17 developing countries to develop conducive policy and regulatory environments, ensure effective technology transfer, and facilitate private sector engagement and access to commercial finance for the introduction of e-vehicle fleets.
Stressing the importance of e-mobility to address both the climate and air quality crises, Watson described the FIA Foundation’s role in supporting safe and sustainable mobility, as well as exposing the threats posed by over-emitting vehicles. She underlined that the addition of transport electrification to all other current decarbonization actions are still not sufficient to meet the Paris Agreement goals, as identified in GFEI’s latest working paper. She underscored the “desperate need” for shared mobility and alternate modes of transport, urging stakeholders not to replace the “love affair with carbon-intensive Sports Utility Vehicles with a love affair with e-vehicles.”
During the US Climate Action Center Event ‘Driving Climate Action through Public-Private Partnership’ Watson spoke on a panel ‘Accelerating Impact through International Collaboration, Coalitions and Campaigns’ with representatives including the United Nations Environment Programme, World Resources Institute, and Alliance To Save Energy. Discussions focussed on the political, policy and technical transitions to a clean mobility future and Watson provided a viewpoint from an accelerator perspective, discussing the work of GFEI to speed up efficiency standard uptake in countries.
Inclusivity in transport was the theme of the final event, the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA) panel ‘More Ambitious Climate Actions for Low Carbon, Resilient and Inclusive Transport’. During the event, Watson spoke and chaired the panel, discussing the importance of inclusivity as a key element on any transport agenda that wishes to fully address fair, accessible and low carbon mobility for all.
Ahead of COP 25, the FIA Foundation was also a signatory to a letter from The Energy Efficiency Global Alliance (EEGA), reminding climate negotiators that it is time for action on energy efficiency policies and investments - read the full letter here.
