The transport sector’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels is impeding the global energy transition and worsening climate change, according to a recent report from REN21. This sector, which consumes 30% of the world’s total final energy, is still largely dependent on fossil fuels, contributing to 20% of global emissions.
The report, part of the 2024 Global Status Report (GSR) Collection, highlights that renewables only account for 4% of the energy consumed in transport. This lags significantly behind other sectors such as industry, buildings, and agriculture. The urgent need to decarbonise transport is further underscored by the devastating impacts of climate change witnessed this year, from wildfires in Greece to deadly heatwaves in India, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Reducing energy demand and shifting to renewables is key to achieving a successful energy transition in the transport sector. This could involve measures such as reducing travel and freight movement, promoting sustainable modes like walking, cycling, and public transport, and transitioning to electric vehicles.
However, a significant barrier to the uptake of renewables in transport is the current disconnect between the transport and energy sectors. This is evident in the continued building of transport systems around fossil fuels, supported by subsidies and a lack of integrated planning.
Rana Adib, Executive Director of REN21, emphasised the urgency of decarbonising transport, stating, “The energy transition and sustainable development are simply not possible without urgently decarbonising transport.” She called for rapid integration between the transport and energy sectors to break transport’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Stronger integration could lead to benefits, as seen in countries adopting policies to promote electric vehicles. By the end of 2023, 74 countries had set targets promoting electric vehicles, resulting in a quadrupling of the global stock of electric cars since 2018. However, for electrification to succeed in shifting transport to renewables, the primary source of electricity must be from renewable energy. As of now, only nine countries have set 100% renewable power targets and 100% EV targets or complete internal combustion engine bans.
To facilitate decarbonisation in the transport sector, REN21 has published the Global Futures Report (GFR): Renewables for Sustainable Transport. This report provides insights and guidance on possible pathways to increase the uptake of renewables in transport, raising essential questions about the transport sector’s transition and the infrastructure, fuels, and roles needed to facilitate the process.
Adib concluded, “Collective strategies need to be developed and strengthened” to bridge the gap between the transport and energy sectors and drive the shift towards renewables. The report serves as a call to action for policymakers to engage in practical discussions and collaborations to decarbonise transport effectively.
