The Sustainable Transport Alliance (STA) has called on world leaders to recognise that technology alone cannot reduce transport emissions, and has stressed that a shift towards active travel, shared mobility and community transport is needed.
As the focus of COP26 turns to transport today [10 November], the STA aims to highlight that solely focussing on EVs would mean ignoring their social and environmental drawbacks. It added this includes a potential 51% increase in road traffic in the UK. The group also wants to showcase the immediate benefits of shifting more journeys to existing greener forms of transport.
With more than half (55%) of all UK transport emissions coming from cars, STA’s partners will be discussing, at a Green Zone event at COP26, measures that could help ensure the UK meets its net zero commitment. It will promote the introduction of progressively tightening targets to reduce motorised traffic, in particular private car use, and the policies necessary to achieve this.
It also wants to see short- and medium-term carbon reduction targets set to deliver on long-term decarbonisation declarations.
Furthermore, the STA will call on the leaders to ensure public, shared, community and active travel options are made an attractive and viable alternative to private car use. With investment in social infrastructure to boost communities’ ability to advocate for local needs.
Jools Townsend, chair of the Sustainable Transport Alliance, and chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “The inspiring campaigners and change-makers from around the world who have been addressing COP26 have been underlining how we must put people, communities and justice at the forefront in tackling the climate crisis, and this very much applies to transport.
“The evidence is clear that we cannot put all our faith in electric cars – we need a more fundamental shift in how we get around, and we have much to gain from this.
“By focusing on a shift towards public, shared and community transport, walking and cycling, we can create healthier, happier communities and more equal access to opportunity, without adding to emissions and environmental problems through the manufacture of millions more cars.
“We’re proud to be coming together with our NGO partners at COP26 to showcase action and amplify voices within communities across the UK that are working towards a greener, better, more inclusive transport future.”
The Sustainable Transport Alliance is made up of Bus Users, Campaign for Better Transport, Community Rail Network, Community Transport Association, Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), Living Streets, London Cycling Campaign, and Sustrans.
