Forum for Decarbonizing Transport

Posted on : 03 Sep 2021

NITI Aayog and World Resources Institute (WRI), India, on 23rd August 2021, jointly launched the ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’ in India.

Key Points:

• This forum has been launched virtually as a part of the NDC-Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) project.

• The project aims at bringing down the peak level of GHG emissions (transport sector) in Asia (in line with a well below 2-degree pathway), resulting in problems like congestion and air pollution.

Why is it needed?

• It is needed for the following reasons:

• India has a massive and diverse transport sector which is also the third most CO2 emitting sector.

• Transports emits more than 20 percent of the energy related CO2 which has increased the global warming.

• This is because transport relies on the oil for more than 90 percent of its energy so it is particularly hard to decarbonize.

• Data from (IEA, 2020; Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, 2018) suggests that within the transport sector, road transport contributes to more than 90% of the total CO2 emissions.

Steps taken by the Government:

• The Government of India (GoI), through various policy measures and initiatives, is continuously working towards the decarbonization of road transport.

• GoI's major focus has been on the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.

• NITI Aayog has been at the helm of the promotion of EVs and sustainable mobility through the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage.

About NDC-TIA:

The NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA 2020-2023) is a joint programme of seven organisations that will engage China, India, and Vietnam in promoting a comprehensive approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries over the period 2020-2024.

• The seven organizations are as follows:

1. World Resources Institute (WRI)

2. International Transport Forum (ITF)

3. Agora Verkehrswende (AGORA)

4. Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) Foundation

5. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century e.V. (REN21)

6. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

7. International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

• This project is a part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

• The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) support the initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.

Features of the Forum:

• This programme focuses on developing a coherent strategy of effective policies and the formation of a multi-stakeholder platform for decarbonizing transport in India.

• The forum will be a one-stop platform for initiating dialogues between the stakeholders and partners that will help in achieving specific results in reducing emissions from the transport sector.

• It will unite the CEOs, researchers, academics, multilateral agencies, financial institutions as well as the Central and state government on a common platform.

• This, in turn, will help in the development of innovative business models resulting in targeted results and the holistic growth of the electric mobility space in India.

• NITI Aayog is the implementing partner for the India component of the project.

About NITI Aayog:

• NITI Aayog refers to the National Institution For Transforming India Aayog.

• It is the premier policy 'Think Tank' of the Government of India (GoI).

• It was established on 1 January 2015 with an objective to foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis, recognizing that strong States make a strong nation.

• The Governing Council of NITI, with The Prime Minister as its Chairman, comprises Chief Ministers of all States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories (UTs).

• The current CEO of NITI Aayog is Amitabh Kant.

About WRI India:

WRI India (World Resources Institute, India) is an independent charity, legally registered in India driving transformative solutions through five inter-related programs:

1. Sustainable Cities

2. Climate

3. Energy

4. Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration

5. Climate Resilience

It works with local and national governments, businesses, and civil society to address India’s development challenges

About WRI:

• The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research non-profit organization.

• It was established in 1982 with funding from the MacArthur Foundation under the leadership of James Gustave Speth.

• WRI's activities are focused on seven areas: food, forests, water, energy, cities, climate and ocean.

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