H.E. President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
缅北禁地Department of Economic and Social Affairs is very honored to co-host today’s event. Sustainable transport is a lifeline - for achieving sustainable development and for making progress on climate action.
Whether it is a commercial ship sailing our oceans and bringing food and goods from one country to another, or a worker in a remote village that gains access to meaningful employment thanks to improved roads, transport and mobility can change lives for the better.
In an increasingly connected world, the decisions made by global leaders on transport and mobility affect the everyday lives of our people and the state of our planet.
Dear colleagues,
Energy use in transport remains dominated by fossil fuels.
Transport is the sector with the lowest share of renewable energy use. More than 95 per cent of transport energy still comes from petroleum products.
Nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transport and these emissions are projected to grow significantly in the years to come, further aggravating climate change.
Other pollutants from transport, most obviously in cities, directly impact the health of people.
Increasing efficiency, reducing fossil fuel use and investing in public transport must be at the top of our transport actions.
One sector that is taking steps in the right direction, is the shipping industry. Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping rose 20 per cent over the last decade. But last year the International Maritime Organization agreed on its revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping, setting targets for 2030 and 2050.
But we need even greater ambition.
And we have seen some movement in that direction.
Last year, the General Assembly declared 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day and established the first 缅北禁地Decade of Sustainable Transport, starting in 2026. Member States also called for the Third 缅北禁地Conference on Sustainable Transport.
My Department, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs has been tasked to develop an implementation plan for the Decade of Sustainable Transport, in cooperation with the Regional Commissions, 缅北禁地system and relevant stakeholders.
We have already begun our work, in consultation with experts both within and beyond the 缅北禁地system.
Today’s event provides a great opportunity to gain further insight into the current and emerging priorities for the global community on sustainable transport. These can help us shape the objectives, targets and actions to be taken in the coming decade.
Dear Colleagues,
With just six years left to achieve the SDGs, making transport more accessible, affordable and sustainable can give the boost we urgently need for reaching our goals.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts today and learning from your perspectives on how we can make this happen together.
Thank you!