The efficient decarbonisation of road transport took centre stage at the United Nations Inland Transport Committee’s kick-off day in Geneva.
At the 86th United Nations Inland Transport Committee, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto moderated a high-level ministerial panel on how to accelerate the decarbonisation of road transport, including available efficiency measures and infrastructure requirements.
Setting the scene, Umberto de Pretto opened the discussion by highlighting that “the road transport industry is committed to become carbon neutral by 2050. The IRU Green Compact offers a pragmatic and realistic decarbonisation pathway to ensure that our industry can continue to meet increasing transport demand. But we need to move from ambition to action. With global coordination and genuine public-private partnerships, we can get it done.”
“We cannot wait for 2050 and then press the ‘magic button’. We need to pursue a mix of different policies right now. Governments need to provide enabling conditions that will allow transport operators to drive immediate efficiency wins, therefore cut CO₂ emissions, as well as to invest in alternative fuel technologies over the longer term,” he added.
The panellists agreed that decarbonisation requires a holistic approach that leaves no one behind and incorporates economic development, social equity and environmental protection. They also emphasised the key role of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in harmonising, coordinating and integrating approaches regionally and globally.
Umberto de Pretto also held a series of high-level bilateral talks with international organisations and national delegations, including with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on TIR and transport facilitation, and with Azerbaijan and the UN’s climate change body on preparatory work ahead of COP 29.
IRU held other high-level meetings with the Secretaries General of the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and the International Transport Forum.
The Inland Transport Committee is the UN platform for inland transport tasked with helping to efficiently address global and regional needs in inland transport.