2023 Global Sustainable Transport Forum

His Excellency Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Minister of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me first commend Minister Li for his leadership. Transportation is key in unlocking economic growth, social development, reducing inequalities by connecting people and places. As the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator here in China, I can confirm that the connectivity, both physically and digitally, in China is what has led the lifting of 750 million people out of abject poverty over the last four decades. The famous Chinese saying goes, "You want people to get rich, build a road." 

As stated by the recent Political Declaration adopted at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain our overarching roadmap for achieving sustainable development and the multiple crises we face.

One of the 17 SDGs, Goal 9, focuses on building resilient infrastructure and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization. However, the 2030 Agenda emphasizes the connections and interlinkages between all aspects of sustainable development. Progress on sustainable transport can benefit our progress on all of the SDGs. As the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, said at the Second UN Global Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing in 2021, “Transport is far more than a means of getting people and goods from place A to place B. It is fundamental to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.” But at present, more than 1 billion people worldwide live at least 2 kilometers away from an all-season road, limiting their access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities. We must ensure these people are not left behind.

It is also imperative that we work to make the transport sector more environmentally sustainable. While many of us are able to move faster and with more ease from place to place, ordering goods online and receiving them at our door in little time, these advances in efficiency and logistics come at an environmental cost.

Transportation, including road, aviation, maritime and rail, accounts for 20% of global carbon emissions. So, we must find ways to transition to green, low-carbon technologies for both passenger and freight in order to reduce emissions in line with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

Recognizing the importance of sustainable transport in achieving the SDGs and combatting climate change, the UN General Assembly declared 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day. The UN General Assembly has invited all Member States, international and regional organizations, and civil society to mark this day by educating and hosting events aimed at enhancing public awareness of sustainable transport issues and encouraging intensified coordination and collaboration to mobilize financial and technical assistance, particularly for developing countries.

To its credit, China is a global leader in many aspects of green and sustainable transport, with high-speed rail and electric vehicles being just two examples of its progress. But progress in these areas needs to be accelerated globally and accompanied by a phasing out of fossil fuel-powered vehicles in order to make transportation truly sustainable.

China has an important role to play in the global transition to greener and more sustainable transport, through its South-South cooperation efforts. Developing countries will need to add over one billion vehicles to their fleets in the coming decades. This presents an immense opportunity for electric vehicle companies to fill this demand and ensure this expansion is not dominated by fossil fuel-powered vehicles. We, as the UN in China, stand ready to support and facilitate partnerships in support of technology transfers and South-South cooperation to accelerate the global transition to sustainable transport, while ensuring this is done equitably and in line with international norms and standards.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The next steps are clear: the transition to sustainable transport is not solely a national agenda but an international imperative. So, let us unite behind the SDGs in solidarity to address the pressing issue of climate change and secure a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Thank you.