Expanding climate-friendly and inclusive urban mobility

Context

Colombia aims to more than halve its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. Transport is a major contributor to these emissions. Around 82 per cent of the country’s population live in urban areas. Colombian cities therefore face considerable challenges in managing and improving their mobility in an environmentally friendly way. Accomplishing this would not only reduce carbon emissions, but also make cities more competitive and more liveable.

However, there is a lack of integrated and low-carbon public mobility solutions. High indebtedness, a lack of economic efficiency, low levels of digitalisation and insufficient data availability are making it difficult to modernise public transport. This is putting vulnerable population groups such as women, migrants and people with disabilities at a particular disadvantage.

Objective

Public transport in selected Colombian cities is more integrated, inclusive and environmentally friendly. This helps mitigate climate change, consolidates social justice and creates green jobs.

Approach

The project is working with the Colombian Government, along with cities and transport authorities and companies in the greater Cali area. It is supporting the development of technical, planning and organisational solutions for integrated and inclusive public transport. For example, this includes a study on integrating urban transit systems with the buses that serve the surrounding communities.

Together with the national government and national and international financing institutions, the project is also developing finance models. At the same time, it is applying alternative sources of urban transport finance. One example is the taxation of land value gains.

The project is using participatory and digital platforms to promote dialogue between the cities, and to develop capacities for climate-friendly urban mobility in public administrations and companies.

Last updated: December 2024