The UIC COP27 Delegation has returned home after a packed two weeks of meetings and events. The team were involved in a record breaking 14 different events but still found time to meet with a wide range of transport ministries, multi-lateral banks and other important partners. Event recordings will appear here to watch on-demand as they become available.
Going forward with the 2030 vision ‘Design a Better Future’ launched last year at COP26, the More Trains Campaign was introduced alongside their new paper ‘Next Stop 2030: The sustainable mobility we want’ which was published on the Trello board with a new animated video, keynote presentation, visual map, and social media cards. The report tells hopeful and encouraging stories from around the world, showing that having more trains is a successful way to transform cities, innovate and decarbonise, while connecting modes of transport seamlessly and improving customer experience.
One fact is clear: the IEA states that, by 2030, rail traffic must have increased by over 40% if we are to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. This shift, alongside continued plans to electrify and decarbonise, will save 460 mega tonnes of GHG by 2050, which is the equivalent of all heavy-duty road freight tailpipe emissions in 2021 from Mexico, the United States, and Canada combined!
As well as UIC’s own report, a series of other rail and public transport reports in collaboration with UIC were published at COP. These include: The Role of Rail in Decarbonizing Transport in Developing Countries by the World Bank, The Role of Urban Rail in a Sustainable Africa by Alstom, and electromobility_and_renewable_electricity-developing_infrastructure_for_synergies.pdf (sum4all.org) and https://www.sum4all.org/data/files/how_to_unlock_public_transport_for_climate_and_sustainable_development-six_areas_for_action.pdf by SUM4ALL.
Lucie Anderton, Head of Sustainability at UIC, said “The More Trains campaign and partners are all on the same page, broadcasting the same strong message, that rail has a very important role to play in a quick and just transition to a decarbonised mobility system.”
She also added that “there was an encouraging shift last year from a blind focus on electric cars to a much broader debate around inclusive mobility and the role of a modal shift to both public and active travel, and we have to make sure that the momentum keeps going in this direction.”
The More Trains campaign video shows the need for a cohesive vision of cities and their mobility systems, where an ‘avoid-shift-improve’ method is prioritised. The video depicts a city of the future, reaping all the benefits that a modal shift to railways can provide to communities and cities, through a more sustainable movement of people and goods.
The video link can be found here:
UIC also aims to go even further, all members and partners are encouraged to download and use the More Trains materials in presentations and communications this year, which are available on the More Trains campaign Trello board. UIC will be present at important global events in the year ahead, including at COP28 in Dubai. Those wishing to get more involved in this important advocacy work are encouraged to contact Lucie at anderton at uic.org.
More detailed analysis of the COP outcomes will be released in an upcoming enews article.
