World Sustainable Transport Day: Transforming Mobility to Transform Development

Transport means much more than simply getting from point A to B. When planned and operated properly, transport systems can be an essential driver of economic growth, poverty alleviation, equality and access to critical services like healthcare and education. For example, if gender parity in the transport sector were achieved, 20+ million women could join the workforce in this critical industry. 

Transport is no longer just a local issue—it operates within a broader context of national and global development, aligning with high-level agendas like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. While there is no specific SDG dedicated solely to transport, it is reflected in several SDG targets, highlighting its importance as an enabler for achieving many of these goals.  Moreover, the upcoming United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026-2035 presents a significant opportunity to spotlight transport’s role in advancing the SDGs. This period will be crucial for raising awareness, advancing innovative solutions, mobilizing resources, and forming partnerships to promote sustainable transport worldwide. 

The future of transport must ensure that it connects communities with economic opportunities and social services, links people to jobs, addresses gender-specific travel needs, accommodates persons with disabilities, enhances economic efficiency, and reduces the impacts of climate change and pollution.

Admittedly, there is a long way to go: transport systems today contribute 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that could more than double by 2050 if left unchecked. But this is only part of the equation. The Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) initiative promotes an approach that focuses on all major dimensions of sustainability: green mobility, but also universal access, efficiency, and safety. These principles are at the heart of SuM4All’s ongoing efforts. 

This year, on November 26th, the international community will observe World Sustainable Transport Day. This day serves as a powerful reminder for decision-makers and practitioners alike: transport systems must be safe, affordable, accessible, efficient, and resilient, while minimizing carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. It highlights a critical truth—sustainable transport is not just a goal in itself; it is the means through which we achieve broader sustainable development objectives and address different critical challenges.

Here are just a few numbers that underscore the connection between transport and development: 

• Approximately 1.19 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, costing countries around 3% of their Gross Domestic Product.

• Half of the global population lack convenient access to public transport, with regions like sub-Saharan Africa seeing up to 67% of the population without access. 

• In the developing world, an estimated 1 billion people still lack access to all-weather roads, with 450 million people in Africa alone—more than 70% of the total rural population—being unconnected to transport infrastructure and systems.

• The absence of safe transport infrastructure is a major barrier to women's economic participation, reducing the likelihood of women joining the labor force by an estimated 16.5%. 

These challenges may seem overwhelming, but they are solvable. Sustainable transport systems have the potential to address these issues, improving lives and economies, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

At SuM4All, we are committed to advocating for a comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable approach to mobility. The Partnership will continue to advance sustainable mobility by tackling challenges in transport data and tracking, providing evidence and insights to policymakers, and amplifying the global conversation around sustainable mobility. Through the partnerships, we aim to increase the visibility and priority of sustainable transport on the global agenda. 

Efforts of all transport stakeholders are more urgent than ever. As we continue to work toward building transport systems that are safer, greener, more efficient and more equitable, we remain hopeful. Because sustainable transport is not just a necessity—it’s a pathway to achieving a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

Let’s keep moving forward—together.