Transition towards sustainable mobility in the Global South – how will Denmark contribute?
A huge global effort is needed to ensure sustainable mobility and climate-resilient infrastructure in developing countries. Today, however, Denmark is not at the forefront of countries focusing on this challenge. Why is this and how could it change?
By Søren Have, Program Director for Mobility, CONCITO
Today, transport systems and mobility patterns of the world are in stark conflict with the global goals for climate and sustainable development. The challenges are most severe in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) who therefore need substantial help and investments to provide efficient, sustainable, low carbon and resilient infrastructure and transport services for their citizens and businesses.
Denmark is not among the High-Income Countries that are particularly alert to this challenge, despite Denmark’s strong commitment to international development and climate goals, and the country’s obvious competencies within areas like green energy, active mobility, and efficient logistics. This is uncovered in a new analysis by Henrik Gudmundsson of CONCITO and Holger Dalkmann of SUSTAIN2030, called The importance of Sustainable Mobility to Climate and Development – Is Denmark ready to play a part? For example, the analysis shows that less than 0.5% of Denmark’s bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) goes to support sustainable transport in LMICs.
The analysis leads to several recommendations for how Denmark can activate its technical skills, resources, and strategic positions to help the necessary transition of transport in the Global South, and thereby contribute to promoting the synergies between climate, sustainability and poverty reduction, which are central to current Danish development aims.
The overarching headers of the recommendations are:
- Include sustainable transport and robust infrastructure as a focus area in Danish development policy
- Engage in global collaborations for sustainable transport
- Activate the EU in efforts to develop sustainable transport corridors and urban systems.