26th November is the World Sustainable Transport Day
Transportation is needed in our daily lives be it directly travelling from place to place or transport of goods and materials. It is vital for promoting connectivity, trade, economic growth and employment. If transportation is not sustainable then it impacts the climate and also brings more pollution mainly air pollution source of green-house gas emissions.
We should know that globally, the average annual carbon footprint per individual is 5.9 tons. Living car-free can reduce your annual carbon footprint by up to 3.6 tons and switching from a regular vehicle to an electric vehicle (EV) can reduce our carbon footprint by an average of 2 tons per year. Though I am writing this article, I have not purchased any electric vehicle so far .
In its 2016 report, the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Group defined sustainable transport as “the provision of services and infrastructure for the mobility of people and goods — advancing economic and social development to benefit today’s and future generations — in a manner that is safe, affordable, accessible, efficient, and resilient, while minimizing carbon and other emissions and environmental impacts.”
Sustainable transport — with its objectives of universal access, enhanced safety, reduced environmental and climate impact, improved resilience, and greater efficiency — is central to sustainable development. Sustainable transport is therefore not an end in itself, but a means to achieve sustainable development. Apart from providing services and infrastructure for the mobility of people and goods, sustainable transport is a cross-cutting accelerator that can fast-track progress towards other crucial goals, such as eradicating poverty in all its dimensions, reducing inequality, empowering women, and combating climate change.
Recognizing the important role of safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all in supporting sustainable economic growth, improving the social welfare of people and enhancing international cooperation and trade among countries, the UN General Assembly decided to declare 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day (WSTD).
António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN in his message on the occasion of WSTD said that “transportation represents the world’s circulatory system, delivering people and goods across countries and around the world, creating jobs, and supporting prosperity.” He further said that “from electric and solar-powered vehicles, to renewable aviation fuel sources, to massive investments in green public transportation systems, to measures like carbon pricing and subsidies for low-carbon fuels, we can steer our societies towards a cleaner and more sustainable path for people and the planet.”
There is no doubt that the transport sector is responsible for approximately one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. Ninety-one percent of the energy used in motorized transport on land, sea and air is derived from fossil fuels. As population increases means travel also increases means more threat to our climate and we have to change our lifestyles and contribute positively for the environment. Making informed lifestyle choices when it comes to transport can help us reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality — a win-win!
Let’s act and take action whenever we can and make our transport more sustainable. All of us can help limit climate change. From the way we travel, to the electricity we use, the food we eat, and the things we buy, we can make a difference. We must consider our travels like using cycles, switching to electric vehicles, car pooling, using public transport, etc.
We should not forget that sustainable transport seeks to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts, while ensuring safety and affordability and providing equitable access to mobility for all. It integrates technology, infrastructure, planning, policy and behavior change. It provides many benefits including economic stability, improved public health, energy security and urban resilience.
The challenge ahead is that sustainable transport is not a single solution, but a systems approach, integrating technology, infrastructure, planning, policy and behavior change to reduce emissions while enhancing connectivity. Proper planning and design is important so that transport becomes more sustainable. Together we can make it and let’s act to make our transportation more sustainable for ourselves and for the future generations.
(With direct inputs from the UN publication and feedback may be send to bkranjan@gmail.com)
Ranjan K Baruah
Ganeshguri, Guwahati
Friday, December 5, 2025