Low Emission VehiclesTransportation is one of the most significant contributors to global climate change, accounting for 27% of global CO2 emissions. With the expected addition of 2 billion cars globally by 2050, transport-related emissions are projected to grow between 120% and 230%. Much of this increase will be the result of urban population growth and land cover expansion occurring at rates never seen before.
As more and more people move to cities, urban transportation systems will play an increasingly critical role in driving responsible climate action and reducing global emissions. Cities are currently taking a three-pronged approach to reducing emissions from transport: (i) reducing the need for journeys through transit oriented developments; (ii) moving journeys to more efficient modes like public transit and non-motorised transportation; and (iii) improving the efficiency of fleets, through shifting to low-emission technologies.
Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs) are vital for addressing climate change and improving the efficiency of vehicle fleets as they emit lower levels of greenhouse gases than conventional fossil fuel vehicles. Despite notable technological advances, cities have encountered some barriers in increasing the uptake of LEVs, including a lack of cost-effective options for consumers, municipalities and public transport operators. Nonetheless, a number of cities are seeing the expansion of LEVs in their markets, and are actively facilitating this uptake through innovative incentive programmes and other policies and strategies.
The C40 LEV Network was established to support cities in accelerating and advancing policies and actions to increase the uptake of LEVs, facilitating the sharing of good practice and technical expertise amongst C40 cities. The purpose of this Good Practice Guide is to summarise key city strategies to support LEVs for global dissemination, highlighting the success of C40 cities in incentivising LEV uptake to drive carbon emission reductions.