- Public transport usage must double in global cities over the next decade, requiring $208 billion USD each year across C40 cities and creating 4.6m new jobs, show new figures from C40 Cities and ITF.
- Mayors, transport unions, workers and authorities warn global leaders ‘time is running out’ to make the critical investments in public transport necessary for nations and world to meet 1.5°C emissions targets.
- From London to Jakarta, 9 out of 10 people want better, cheaper, faster zero-emissions public transport in their cities, new opinion polling in five major cities reveals.
Mayors of some of the world’s leading cities, union leaders, transport workers, transport authorities and civil society have united at COP26 to call on the world’s governments to prioritise sustainable long-term investment in public transport or risk climate breakdown. As electric vehicles are the focus on the COP26 transport day, mayors and union leaders warn public transport must not be forgotten.
In a joint statement released today in Glasgow, mayors, unions, transport authorities, regulators and partners all call on national governments to collectively double public transport journeys in cities by 2030 and advance a just transition to zero-emissions public transport, if they are to meet their climate goals and limit global heating to 1.5°C. Transport is currently responsible for a quarter of all global CO2 emissions.
C40 and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have modelled this in new research across five major cities – Houston, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London and Milan – to demonstrate that as well as supporting the sustainable development of urban economies, the right investment would create tens of millions of jobs worldwide. This would be received with overwhelming public support, according to newly released opinion polling which shows 9 in 10 people want better, faster and more sustainable public transport in their cities.
Mayor of London and Chair-elect of C40 Cities Sadiq Khan says: “London and other C40 cities are working closely together to lead public transport revolutions around the world.
“In London last month we expanded our Ultra Low Emission Zone, making it the largest in the world. We now have the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe and a third of the UK’s EV charge points. We’ve also set an ambitious target for 80 per cent of all journeys in London to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport by 2041.
“But Mayors and city leaders need support. National governments must prioritise funding for urban public transport expansion and renewal before time runs out to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and avert a climate catastrophe.”
John Mark Mwanika, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Urban Transport Chair says: “Amid all the discussions at COP26 on the topic of electric vehicles, we can’t afford to forget the critical role public transport must and can play in hitting climate targets. Increasing access to and availability of good quality public transport requires a fair and just transition.
People who live and work in cities want better public transport, green jobs, and cleaner air. All levels of government must work together to unleash state funding over the next decade to achieve this, and to create tens of millions of decent jobs worldwide.”
The joint statement unveiled today in Glasgow by the Mayor of Austin Steve Adler; ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton; Secretary General of UITP Mohamed Mezghani and ITF Urban Transport Chair John Mark Mwanika among others, call on world leaders to ensure that:
- Everyone living in urban areas has safe, frequent, affordable and accessible public transport within a 10 minute walk from their home
- Investment in public transport is made a priority for national economic recovery plans, and for increasing public transport mode share to be made a key goal in climate plans
- $208 billion a year is invested every year this decade to deliver the transformation to improve, expand and electrify public transport for the nearly 100 C40 cities that together contribute to 25% of the global economy. The current funds allocated for post COVID-19 public transport recovery are not sufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
C40 and ITF research released today also details interviews with workers, union and city officials in 19 cities across the world that underline the urgent need for increased public transport investment. Interviewees warned of the dangers posed by fragmented, short-term and opaque approaches to funding, and called for a coordinated, carefully planned investment.
Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan says: “Citizens in every major world city have the basic right to clean air, green jobs and accessible, frequent and affordable mass transportation within a 10 minute walk from their home. World leaders must work with mayors to unleash the investment and innovation cities urgently need to advance a just transition to zero-emissions public transport. Without a revolution in public transport the world will miss the bus on tackling climate change. Time is running out.”
Sharan Burrow – General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation says: “We’re in a race against time. Jobs and just transition will build the trust in communities to support the urgent transformation required to stabilise our climate and the global economy. Stable investment in public transport creates millions of climate friendly jobs worldwide and is critical for driving down emissions in our cities. Workers, unions and communities are calling on governments to put in place the investment into public transport to realise the jobs dividend that benefits both people and the planet.”
Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities network says: “Cities from London to Jakarta are pioneering initiatives to increase access to improved public transport services. They have to, because people need an alternative to the car if cities are to rapidly reduce pollution from travel. In many cities public transport ridership needs to double in the next decade. Yet mass transit is currently suffering because of the pandemic. If national governments do not back mayors and invest to protect and expand public transport then they won’t be able to meet their own carbon targets. The time to invest in public transport is right now. Governments that do so will reap the rewards of millions of good jobs, improved fairness in access to mobility, and will lock-in reductions in transport emissions at the pace and scale we need.”
Mayoral quotes
“To meet our climate goals and create a city that is livable and healthy for our residents, we must reduce emissions from transportation,” said San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed. “We have a responsibility to make sure our public transit system is affordable and reliable, and that our residents can get around safely by biking and walking. Investing in public transit and other low-carbon forms of transportation make cities like San Francisco more resilient and sustainable places to live and work.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says, “Transport accounts for more than 40 per cent of Auckland’s emissions profile, so it is critical that we provide fast, frequent and reliable public transport, as well as walking and cycling options, so that people can get around the city without having to rely on private vehicles. Auckland Council and the government are investing more than $31 billion into critical transport infrastructure and services over the next 10 years. This is the largest transport infrastructure investment in Auckland’s history and will increase public transport, walking and cycling journeys over the next decade. We have already halted the purchase of new diesel buses, and we are rolling out low-emissions buses across our network, including the recently announced purchase of 152 new e-buses that will reduce our bus fleet’s carbon emissions by around 11 per cent a year. Auckland’s City Rail Link—the biggest transport infrastructure project in New Zealand—will double the capacity of our rail network, carrying more than 54,000 people an hour during peak times. Other projects such as the recently completed Puhinui Station Interchange are making it faster and easier to get around the city by public transport and helping create the 21st century transport system our city needs to be world class.”
More information and resources
- Statement: “Public transport global coalition statement” – read in Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Tagalog and Turkish.
- Joint report: “Making COP26 Count: How investing in public transport this decade can protect our jobs, our climate, our future” – read in Arabic, English, French, Italian and Spanish.
- Report methodology
- Public transport opinion polling highlights