To effectively address climate change while continuing to grow, it is crucial that developing countries pursue sustainable transport strategies like Mexico City's Metrobus. Photo: EMBARQ.

Following up on our post about the treatment of the transport sector in countries’ post-Copenhagen plans, we’d like to point you to the analysis of developing countries’ Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) completed by the Bridging the Gap Initiative.

The analysis notes that 16 of the 25 countries that have submitted reports to date made explicit reference to the transport sector, evidence that transport is gaining a spot on the climate change mitigation agenda.  The analysis provides an overview of the NAMAs submitted, classifying them according to transport measures proposed.  As we noted previously, submissions vary greatly in their level of detail.  However, Bridging the Gap sees the inclusion of transport as a positive sign and evidence of a will to act.  As their report states,

“From a transport perspective the submissions indicate that many developing country Parties consider that actions in the transport sector are necessary to mitigate CO2 emissions. The number of submissions making reference to the transport sector also indicates that the NAMA instrument can accommodate the sector, better integrating transport in the climate change process than the Kyoto flexible mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism.

Next steps must now be to ensure that these countries get the adequate support for implementing these plans, and that developing countries that have not made submissions are also supported to develop sustainable transport and development strategies…

NAMA submissions that seek international support must contain sufficient information for them to be evaluated and appraised, although it is important that the concept remains open and flexible. The process for accessing support for the NAMAs should also be relatively unbureaucratic to help ensure that the necessary financial, technology transfer and capacity building support is provided in a timely manner and that momentum is not lost.”

Bridging the Gap will assist developing countries as they enhance their transport-related NAMAs.  We’ll keep you posted on what happens.