Railway Climate Responsibility Pledge

Countries and companies across the world have declared a climate emergency. In order to stay in line with the Paris Agreement, countries must act urgently and decisively, committing to carbon neutrality before 2050. The international railway community must align to this challenge, set ambitious targets and put in plans to decarbonise.

The UIC Railway Climate Declaration sets out a pledge for members to communicate their support and ambition and brings together a global community of sustainability leaders. The railways will play a critical role in mitigating climate change as the backbone of a decarbonised and sustainable mobility system. Rail is the most sustainable form of mass transport, but we cannot rest on its laurels, we must continue to strive to lead and collaborate across the transport sector.

Railway climate declaration

At the UN Climate Summit in September 2014, UIC presented the Low Carbon Rail Transport Challenge – Technical Report. This provided a vision for the development of the railway sector at the global level as a sustainable and low carbon mode of transportation. The challenge included three sets of voluntary targets: to improve rail efficiency, to decarbonise electricity supply, and to achieve a more sustainable balance of transport modes. During the 2015 COP21 event, ‘Train to Paris’, the first ‘Railway Climate Responsibility’ pledge was presented to high-level representatives of the United Nations. The Climate Responsibility pledge was signed by more than 60 UIC members, representing most of global rail activity.

Pledge content

According to the Paris Agreement, countries must renew or increase their commitments by the end of 2020, by amending their Nationally Determined Contributions submitted in 2015. They must correspond to the highest level of ambition possible. Therefore, UIC is committed to go further.

The Railway Climate Responsibility Pledge 2019 is an extension to the Pledge signed in 2015.

As an official representative of a UIC Member, I acknowledge the critical importance to take immediate action for a more sustainable future.

I recognise the central role of railways in the fight against climate change.

As a member of the worldwide community of railway operators and infrastructure managers, I commit to take a leading role in the actions to mitigate climate change, by reducing my company’s carbon footprint and supporting a shift towards a more sustainable balance of transport modes.

In order to achieve this, I commit to:

1. Reduce my company’s specific energy consumption and CO2 emission, and through this contribute to the UIC “Low Carbon Rail Transport Challenge”, presented in 2014 at the United Nations Climate Summit, and to the Rail Climate Responsibility Pledge, signed in 2015;
2. Carbon Neutrality by 2050;
3. Contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Congratulations to all members who have already made the pledge.

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