The impact of the pandemic
The world cannot win the battle against climate change without changing the way people move. Transport already represents a quarter of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - a figure that could increase to 33% under a business-as-usual scenario, says the World Bank.⁷
It says the scale of the problem is made evident by the stark contrast in many cities’ air quality from before and during the COVID-19 urban transport slowdown. Like pollution, GHG emissions dropped significantly in the wake of the outbreak, as health concerns and sweeping movement restrictions have slashed the demand for mobility around the world. For a while at least, traffic jams felt like a distant memory, shipping companies cancelled hundreds of sailings, and some of the world’s largest airports used their runways to park idle planes.
But this trend has been relatively short-lived. The virus will eventually subside, and governments, businesses, and people will want to make up for lost time and minimize the economic impact of the pandemic.
If previous global crises are any indication, this could lead to a net increase in emissions, including from transport. Following the 2008-2009 recession, carbon emissions soared by a record 6% in one year, in part because many of the investment programs that were meant to stimulate the economy went to carbon-intensive industries.
“In a context of economic emergency and low oil prices, there is a growing sense that transport emissions will bounce back after the current crisis. However, the post-COVID recovery could also be an opportunity for countries to scale up cleaner, more sustainable transport solutions that already exist. Boosting low-carbon transport will not only benefit the climate but also support long-term economic growth, create quality jobs, and connect more people to opportunity.”
Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Infrastructure
The World Bank has been working to support that transition. By the end of Fiscal Year 2019, 52% of the Bank’s transport projects contributed to climate change mitigation or adaptation.
“In the face of the ongoing pandemic, we have strengthened our focus on climate-smart transport, which could be a powerful way to rekindle economic growth.”
Guangzhe Chen, the World Bank’s Global Director for Transport.
COVID-19 showed the society’s ability to react and adapt on a global scale – through societal reengineering, governmental adaptability and industry-wide reorganisation. This kind of systemic transformation should now be replicated for the transport sector.⁸
“I guess the main challenge for eMobility right now is getting people to step out of their comfort zone and get used to using a new technology in their day to day lives. At the moment, people still think that buying an electric car is associated with complications. For example, people worry that a lot of planning is required for longer trips, to ensure charging stations are on route.
For eMobility to become the norm, we’re going to have to shift our mindset and accept that new technology means new experiences and a new way of driving.
This is a challenge for the whole industry, and we need to find ways to help people change their way of thinking.”
Thiemo Schueler, Key Account Manager, BayWa r.e. Power Solutions GmbH