The transport sector is responsible for 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport accounting for around 77% of these emissions. As populations, economies, and the need for mobility grow, the World Bank estimates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport could increase by as much as 60% by 2050 if left unchecked. 

To get on track with the Net Zero Emissions scenario by 2050, CO2 emissions from the transport sector must fall by more than 3% per year by 2030.   

Given this context, the upcoming 86th annual session of UNECE’s Inland Transport Committee (ITC), held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 20-23 February 2024, will focus on taking ambitious climate action to advance decarbonization of the inland transport sector. 

ITC is the United Nations' central regulatory platform for road, rail, inland waterway and intermodal transport. Its role is equivalent to that of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for civil aviation, or the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for maritime transport.    

Following last year’s request made by member States, ITC prepared a strategy to decarbonize inland transport by 2050, based on the 60 United Nations legal instruments under its purview, and is expected to adopt this strategy at the high-level segment of the 86th session.  

The objective of the strategy is to set a medium and long-term course towards the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, enabling parties to deliver on their climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. The strategy also encompasses shifting to low carbon transport modes.  

The Convention on the Contract for International Carriage of Goods by Rail – adopted in November last year to unify the legal system for the carriage of cargo and facilitate rail freight between Europe and Asia – will be open for signature by member States during the 86th session. 

The upcoming session of ITC will also feature several high-level side events, notably the ITC Forum for Road Safety, and round tables on road safety, digital and green transition and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda, and best practices and challenges in sustainable transportation, as well as a ministerial side event on the SPECA Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. 

In addition, the session will look into the future of inland transport governance, intelligent transport systems, vehicle regulations, transport of dangerous goods and perishable foodstuffs, intermodal transport and logistics, inland water transport, and border-crossing facilitation.  

Full information about the session and registration is available here.