A systemic transformation in transport and mobility is urgently needed, particularly in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs) across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which are marked by rapidly growing populations, spiralling urbanisation, rising private motorisation and an underperforming transport sector. The growth in greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the surface transport of LMICs in these regions is expected to outpace the global average in the coming decades, underscoring the need for urgent action to keep global warming within the 1.5 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Adding to the challenge, transport decarbonisation efforts would have to be pursued in parallel with initiatives to enhance transport access and connectivity, which are central to advancing socio-economic development in these regions. However, many LMICs lack the capacity, data and policy frameworks necessary to implement sustainable transport solutions and to attract international climate finance.
Against this backdrop, the Transport Decarbonisation Index (TDI), through its diagnostic toolkit, aims to support policy makers in LMICs in their efforts to reduce emissions from surface transport while advancing broader sustainable development objectives. By delivering a data-driven overview of where countries stand in their journey towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions and complementing it with tailored, yet non-prescriptive policy advice, the TDI seeks to enable evidence-based, time-sensitive and targeted decisions on surface transport decarbonisation. More than a diagnostic tool, the TDI seeks to act as a catalyst for knowledge sharing, partnership building, and collaborative learning, supporting LMICs in aligning national policies with global climate and sustainability agendas.
The application and benchmarking of the TDI has been carried out across 12 pilot countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe in Africa, as well as Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia. The piloting process has been an instrumental part of the TDI project because it: 1) helped to finetune and finalise the TDI methodology, 2) shed light on the realities of transport data in LMICs across the two regions, and 3) underscored the challenges of developing a set of indicators that capture the complexity of transport systems. This brief on the TDI Benchmarking Report provides an overview of the main results and lessons learned from the index’s piloting.
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T ra n sp ort D eca rb on is a tio n I n d ex ( T D I) B en ch m ark in g R ep ort B rie f I n tr o d uctio n A s y ste m ic t r a n sfo rm atio n i n t r a n sp ort a n d m ob ilit y i s u rg ently n e ed ed , p artic u la rly i n l o w - a n d m id dle - i n co m e c o untr ie s ( L M IC s) a cro ss S ub -S ah ara n A fr ic a a n d S outh A sia , w hic h a re m ark e d b y r a p id ly g ro w in g p opula tio ns, s p ir a llin g u rb an is a tio n, r is in g p riv a te m oto ris a tio n a n d a n u nd erp erfo rm in g t r a n sp ort s e cto r. T he g ro w th i n g re enh o use g as e m is sio ns s te m min g f r o m t h e s u rfa ce t r a n sp ort o f L M IC s i n t h e se r e g io ns i s e xp ecte d t o o utp ace t h e g lo b al a ve ra g e i n t h e c o m in g d eca d es, u nd ers c o rin g t h e n e ed f o r u rg ent a ctio n t o k e ep g lo b al w arm in g w it h in t h e 1 .5 d eg re es C els iu s t a rg et o f t h e P aris A gre em ent o n c lim ate c h an g e. A ddin g t o t h e c h alle ng e, t r a n sp ort d eca rb onis a tio n e ff o rts w ould h ave t o b e p urs u e d i n p ara lle l w it h i n it ia tiv e s t o e nh an ce t r a n sp ort a cce ss a n d c o nne ctiv it y , w hic h a re c e ntr a l t o a d va n cin g s o cio -e co no m ic d eve lo pm ent i n t h e se r e g io ns. H ow eve r, m an y L M IC s l a ck t h e c a p acit y , d ata a n d p olic y f r a m ew ork s n e ce ssa ry t o i m ple m ent s u sta in ab le t r a n sp ort s o lu tio ns a n d t o a ttr a ct i n te rn atio nal c lim ate fi n an ce . A gain st t h is b ack d ro p, t h e T ra n sp ort D eca rb on is a tio n I n d ex ( T D I) , t h ro u g h i t s d ia g nostic t o olk it , a im s t o s u p port p olic y m ake rs i n L M IC s i n t h eir e ff orts t o r e d uce e m is sio n s f r o m s u rfa ce t r a n sp ort w hile a d va n cin g b ro ad er s u sta in ab le d eve lo p m en t o b je ctiv e s . B y d eliv e rin g a d ata -d riv e n o ve rv ie w o f w he re c o untr ie s s ta n d i n t h e ir j o urn e y t o w ard s n e t z e ro g re enh o use g as e m is sio ns a n d c o m ple m entin g i t w it h t a ilo re d , y e t n o n-p re sc rip tiv e p olic y a d vic e , t h e T D I s e eks t o e nab le e vid ence -b ase d , t im e-s e nsit iv e a n d t a rg ete d d ecis io ns o n s u rfa ce t r a n sp ort d eca rb onis a tio n. M ore t h an a d ia g no stic t o ol, t h e T D I s e eks t o a ct a s a c a ta ly st f o r k n ow le d ge s h arin g , p artn ers h ip b uild in g , a n d c o lla b ora tiv e l e arn in g , s u p portin g L M IC s i n a lig nin g n atio nal p olic ie s w it h g lo b al c lim ate a n d s u sta in ab ilit y a g end as. T he a p plic a tio n a n d b ench m ark in g o f t h e T D I h as b een c a rrie d o ut a cro ss 1 2 p ilo t c o untr ie s: E th io p ia , G han a , K en ya , N ig eria , R w an d a , S ou th A fr ic a , a n d Z im bab w e i n A fr ic a , a s w ell a s B an g la d esh , I n d ia , N ep al , P akis ta n a n d S ri L a n ka i n S outh A sia . T he p ilo tin g p ro ce ss h as b een a n i n str u m enta l p art o f t h e T D I p ro je ct b eca u se i t : 1 ) h e lp ed t o fi n e tu ne a n d fi n alis e t h e T D I m eth o d olo g y, 2 ) s h e d l ig ht o n t h e r e alit ie s o f t r a n sp ort d ata i n L M IC s a cro ss t h e t w o r e g io ns, a n d 3 ) u nd ers c o re d t h e c h alle ng es o f d eve lo pin g a s e t o f i n d ic a to rs t h at c a p tu re t h e c o m ple xit y o f t r a n sp ort s y ste m s. T his b rie f o n t h e T D I B en ch m ark in g R ep ort p ro vid es a n o ve rv ie w o f t h e m ain r e su lt s a n d l e sso n s l e arn ed f r o m t h e i n d ex’s p ilo tin g . T he T D I: a c a ta ly st f o r k n ow le d ge s h arin g , p artn ers h ip b uild in g a n d c o lla b ora tiv e l e arn in g T he T D I c o ve rs a r a n g e o f s u rfa ce t r a n sp ort m od es – i n clu d in g r o ad , r a il a n d i n la n d w ate rw ays – a cro ss b oth p asse ng er a n d f r e ig ht t r a n sp ort. T he p ro je ct p ro vid es a d ia g no stic t o olk it t h at e nab le s p olic y m ake rs i n L M IC s t o e va lu ate t h e c u rre nt s ta te o f t h e ir t r a n sp ort s e cto rs , i d entif y t h e ir r e sp ectiv e s tr e ng th s a n d g ap s, a n d u nd erta ke h ig h-im pact p olic y a ctio ns t o w ard s a d eca rb onis a tio n p ath w ay. 1 T he T D I e nab le s u se rs t o s e lf - a sse ss a c o untr y 's t r a n sp ort s y ste m t h ro ug h t h e s p re ad sh e et t o olk it , w hic h i s p ro vid ed i n t h e f o rm o f a n E xc e l fi le t o e nab le b ro ad a cce ssib ilit y f o r p ra ctit io ne rs a n d p olic y m ake rs i n L M IC s. T he t o olk it a n d i t s d ed ic a te d u se r g uid e c a n b e d ow nlo ad ed f r o m t h e H VT w eb sit e a n d u se d a s a l o ca l fi le w it h o ut a n i n te rn e t c o nne ctio n. U pon i n p uttin g t r a n sp ort d ata o n a s p ecifi c s h e et, u se rs a re p ro vid ed w it h a s c o re f o r t h e d im ensio ns. T he r e su lt s a re a cco m pan ie d b y e xp la n atio ns a b out t h e s c o re s’ m ean in g s a n d c o rre sp ond in g p olic y g uid an ce s p ecifi ca lly f o r t h e t w o l o w est- s c o rin g d im ensio ns. T he p ro vis io n o f i llu str a tiv e a n d n o n-p re sc rip tiv e a d vic e i s a im ed a t s u p portin g e vid ence -b ase d a n d i n fo rm ed p olic y m akin g . T he se p olic y a ctio ns a re t o b e c o nsid ere d w it h in t h e c o nte xt o f e ach c o untr y , f a cto rin g i n c h ara cte ris tic s l in ke d t o l e ve ls o f d eve lo pm ent, t h e a va ila b ilit y o f n atu ra l r e so urc e s, t h e p re se nce o f m an ufa ctu rin g c a p acit y a n d t h e e xis te nce o f s p ecifi c g eo g ra p hic a l c h ara cte ris tic s, a m ong o th e rs . T o b e i m pactfu l, p olic ie s r e q uir e a n e nab lin g fi n an cia l, p olit ic a l a n d i n stit u tio nal e nvir o nm ent. T he T D I i s n ot t o b e u se d i n i s o la tio n b ut s h ou ld b e c o n sid ere d i n p ara lle l w it h a r a n g e o f p olic y a n d fi nan cin g i n str u m en ts t o e ff ectiv e ly s te er t h e s e cto r t o w ard s a l o w c a rb on p ath w ay. L e arn m ore a b ou t h ow c o u ntr ie s c a n b oost t h eir a m bit io n f o r t r a n sp ort m it ig atio n , a d ap ta tio n a n d r e silie n ce i n t h eir N atio n ally D ete rm in ed C on tr ib utio n s 3 .0 a n d h ow t o f a cilit a te a cce ss t o c lim ate fi nan ce f o r t r a n sp ort i n L M IC s . I m porta n tly , t h e T D I i s d esig ne d n o t a s a t o ol f o r c a stin g b la m e o r s h am in g c o untr ie s w it h l o w er s c o re s b ut a s a p la tfo rm f o r m utu al l e arn in g , c o lla b ora tio n a n d i n sp ir a tio n. B y a p pro ach in g a l o w s c o re a s a n i n d ic a to r o f s ig nifi ca n t u nta p ped d eca rb onis a tio n p ote ntia l, p olic y m ake rs c a n m ake i n fo rm ed d ecis io ns r e g ard in g t h e p olic y a n d fi n an cin g e ff o rts n e ed in g p rio rit is a tio n. C ountr ie s c a n l e ve ra g e t h e i n d ex t o : ● a d dre ss k n o w le d ge a n d c a p acit y g ap s ● b uild i n ve sto r t r u st t h ro ug h t r a n sp are ncy ● s tr e ng th e n p artn e rs h ip s w it h fi n an cia l a n d d eve lo pm ent i n stit u tio ns ● m ob ilis e fi n an cia l a n d t e ch nic a l s u p port ● d evis e i m pactfu l p olic ie s f o r s u sta in ab le , l o w c a rb on t r a n sp ort ● f a st- tr a ck p ro g re ss t o w ard s n e t z e ro e m is sio ns b y 2 0 50 b y b ench m ark in g a g ain st g lo b al p ath w ays a lig nin g t o s u sta in ab ilit y a n d d eca rb onis a tio n g oals a n d ● i m pro ve p ub lic a w are ne ss a n d e ng ag em ent. T he se a ctiv it ie s c a n h e lp f o ste r a lig nm ent w it h g lo b al a g end as, i n clu d in g t h e P aris A gre em ent a n d t h e 2 0 30 A gend a f o r S usta in ab le D eve lo pm ent. T o r e alis e t h e T D I’s f u ll p ote ntia l, d is se m in atio n o f t h e i n d ex’s s c o rin g r e su lt s w ould h ave t o b e t a ilo re d t o t h e n e ed s, k n o w le d ge a n d d ata l it e ra cy o f i t s t a rg et a u d ie nce . T he e ng ag em ent f r o m t h e o uts e t o f a ll r e le va n t s ta ke ho ld ers – i n clu d in g p olic y m ake rs , p ra ctit io ne rs a n d o th e rs – i s k e y t o e nsu rin g r e le va n ce a n d t o i n cre asin g t h e s e nse o f o w ne rs h ip a m ong e nd u se rs . R esu lt s f r o m t h e T D I’s b en ch m ark in g T he p ilo tin g p ro ce ss a cro ss 1 2 c o untr ie s h as d em onstr a te d t h e i m porta n ce o f t a ilo re d t r a n sp ort a sse ssm ents , u nd ers c o rin g b oth t h e p ote ntia l a n d c h alle ng es i n a lig nin g n atio nal t r a n sp ort s tr a te g ie s 2 w it h g lo b al d eca rb onis a tio n a n d s u sta in ab ilit y a g end as. A lt h o ug h s e rv in g a s a c o m paris o n t o ol i s n o t t h e T D I’s p rim ary o b je ctiv e , a sse ssin g m ult ip le c o untr ie s h as o ffere d a v a lu ab le o pportu nit y t o s h o w ca se t h e i n d ex’s a p plic a tio n. T he r e su lt s r e ve al w id e v a ria b ilit y a cro ss d im ensio ns s u ch a s p ub lic t r a n sp ort i n ve stm ent, f r e ig ht e ffi cie ncy, e m is sio ns a n d c le an e ne rg y, a m ong o th e rs . Y e t, k e y o b se rv a tio ns c a n b e d ra w n. W it h s p end in g b etw een U SD 1 7 a n d U SD 1 8 0 p er p ers o n i n 2 0 22, t h e p ilo te d c o untr ie s p ro vid e f e w er p er c a p it a s u b sid ie s f o r f o ssil f u e ls ( p etr o l a n d d ie se l) c o m pare d t o g lo b al a ve ra g es, t h e re b y r e su lt in g i n h ig he r T D I s c o re s u nd er t h e d im ensio n o f “ fi n an ce a n d e co no m ic s”. L o w er s c o re s, o n t h e o th e r h an d , w ere o b se rv e d i n t h e p ilo te d c o untr ie s f o r t h e a va ila b ilit y o f l o w -c o st fi n an ce , w hic h r e fe rs t o c lim ate -r e la te d o ffi cia l d eve lo pm ent a ssis ta n ce . A lt h o ug h t h e se d ata a re n o t s tr ic tly l im it e d t o t h e t r a n sp ort s e cto r, t h e y o ffer a u se fu l i n d ic a tio n o f p ote ntia l fi n an cia l s u p port a va ila b le f o r t r a n sp ort i n it ia tiv e s. W it h in t h e d im ensio n o f “ p asse ng er t r a n sp ort a n d m ob ilit y s y ste m ”, d ata f o r t h e i n d ic a to r o f w alk a b ilit y , w hic h r e la te s t o u rb an d esig n a n d t h e p ro xim it y o f r e sid ents t o d esir e d s e rv ic e s a n d d estin atio ns, p osit io ne d N ep al a s t h e h ig he st- s c o rin g c o untr y w it h 7 7% o f w alk a b le t r ip s, w he re as i n N ig eria o nly 6 % o f t r ip s a re r e g ard ed a s b ein g w alk a b le . S ri L a n ka e m erg ed a s a n atio nal b est p ra ctic e i n t e rm s o f p ub lic t r a n sp ort i n ve stm ent r e la tiv e t o o th e r p ilo t c o untr ie s, w he re as I n d ia s to od o ut w it h h ig he r s c o re s o n t h e i n d ic a to r o f “ p olic y s tr e ng th o f c le an f u e ls ” t h an ks t o i t s h ig h f u e l q ualit y s ta n d ard s. T he m ajo rit y o f t h e 1 2 L M IC s e xa m in e d t h ro ug h t h e T D I w ere m ark e d b y l o w b ase lin e t r a n sp ort c a rb on d io xid e ( C O 2 ) e m is sio ns, w it h a ve ra g e p er c a p it a e m is sio ns o f a ro und 0 .2 4 t o nne s o f C O 2 i n 2 0 22. I n c o untr ie s s u ch a s K en ya , N ep al , a n d N ig eria , r e ne w ab le s a cco unt f o r m ore t h an 7 0 % o f t o ta l e ne rg y c o nsu m ptio n, r e p re se ntin g s o m e o f t h e h ig he st v a lu e s i n t h e d ata se t e xa m in e d a n d p oin tin g t o i m porta n t o pportu nit ie s t o a m plif y t h e e m is sio n b ene fits o f t r a n sp ort e le ctr ifi ca tio n. O n t h e w ho le , S outh A sia n c o untr ie s y ie ld ed h o m og ene o us r e su lt s a cro ss t h e d im ensio ns o f p asse ng er t r a n sp ort a n d m ob ilit y s y ste m s, e m is sio ns, a s w ell a s fi n an ce a n d e co no m ic s. S outh A sia n c o untr ie s g ene ra lly s c o re d l o w i n t h e p asse ng er v e hic le s d im ensio n a s w ell a s i n t h e e m is sio ns d im ensio n, s ig nallin g c o m para b le l e ve ls o f g ro w th a n d p er c a p it a e m is sio ns. I n c o ntr a st, A fr ic a n c o untr ie s d is p la ye d g re ate r d iv e rs it y i n t h e ir r e su lt s . N ota b ly , S ou th A fr ic a s to od o ut i n t h e “ c o nte xt” d im ensio n, w it h m uch h ig he r r o ad t r a ffi c f a ta lit ie s t h an i n t h e o th e r A fr ic a n p ilo t c o untr ie s. T he r e su lt s o n t h e p olic y g uid an ce f o r t h e t w o l o w est- s c o rin g d im ensio ns i n t h e p ilo te d c o untr ie s r e ve al t h at A fr ic a n c o untr ie s c o uld p rio rit is e p olic ie s a n d a ctiv it ie s o n p asse ng er t r a n sp ort. A sia n c o untr ie s, o n t h e o th e r h an d , c o uld a d dre ss c o nte xt- r e la te d i s su e s s u ch a s a ir p ollu tio n a n d r o ad s a fe ty . A ll i n a ll, t h e r e su lt s o f t h e T D I’s a p plic a tio n i n d ic a te t h at t h e p ilo te d c o untr ie s f a ce s ig nifi ca n t c h alle ng es l in ke d t o r o ad t r a ffi c f a ta lit ie s a n d a ir p ollu tio n-r e la te d m orta lit y . D esp it e r a p id g ro w th , e m is sio ns-r e la te d i n d ic a to rs s c o re d r e la tiv e ly w ell a cro ss m ost o f t h e c o untr ie s. M ain ta in in g l o w e m is sio n b ase lin e s, h o w eve r, w ill r e q uir e c o -o rd in ate d e ff o rts a cro ss a ll d im ensio ns c o ve re d b y t h e T D I. F o r a n i n -d ep th a n aly sis o f t h e r e su lt s , s e e t h e T D I B ench m ark in g R ep ort . T D I D im ensio n S co re s f o r t h e 1 2 P ilo te d C ountr ie s 3 P ilo tin g c o n fi rm ed t h e n eed f o r m ore a n d b ette r d ata T he r e se arc h o n t h e T D I h as s h o w n t h at a w id e r a n g e o f i n d ic a to rs a re a va ila b le a cro ss i m porta n t s u sta in ab ilit y d im ensio ns, t o h e lp m easu re t r a n sp ort s u sta in ab ilit y . H ow eve r, c o untr y a p plic a tio n r e ve ale d t h at t h e d ata f o r t h e se i n d ic a to rs m ust b e w id ely a n d s y ste m atic a lly c o lle cte d . D esp it e p rio rit is in g i n d ic a to rs w it h g ood d ata c o ve ra g e a cro ss t h e p ilo te d c o untr ie s a n d r e ly in g o n g lo b ally r e co g nis e d d ata b ase s w it h h arm onis e d c o lle ctio n p ro ce sse s a n d a n nual u p d ate s, t h e T D I’s a p plic a tio n e nco unte re d s ig nifi ca n t d ata l im it a tio ns. I n g ene ra l, t h e d ata c o ve ra g e w as w eak f o r A fr ic a n c o untr ie s, s u ch a s E th io p ia , R w an d a , a n d Z im bab w e , w he re as b ette r d ata w ere a va ila b le f o r l a rg er c o untr ie s s u ch a s I n d ia , N ig eria , P akis ta n a n d S ou th A fr ic a . D ata l im it a tio ns w ere p artic u la rly p ro no unce d i n t h e f r e ig ht t r a n sp ort s e cto r, w he re I n d ia a n d P akis ta n w ere t h e o nly c o untr ie s f o r w hic h d ata o n t h e s h are o f r a il i n t o ta l f r e ig ht a ctiv it y c o uld b e s e cu re d . T he f a ct t h at o nly o ne -th ir d o f t h e i d entifi e d i n d ic a to rs h ad s u ffi cie nt r e p re se nta tio n f o r t h e 1 2 p ilo t c o untr ie s c o nfirm s t h e c h alle ng e o f s ig nifi ca n t d ata g ap s a n d c a p acit y l im it a tio ns i n L M IC s a cro ss A fr ic a a n d S outh A sia . T his i s su e a p pears t o b e s p ecifi c t o L M IC s, a s g ood c o ve ra g e e xis ts f o r m an y o f t h e i n d ic a to rs i n r e g io ns s u ch a s E uro pe a s w ell a s i n m an y l a rg er e co no m ie s i n t h e G lo b al S outh . T he B ench m ark in g R ep ort d is c u sse s t h e T D I’s a p pro ach a s w ell a s g ene ra l l im it a tio ns a n d i s su e s o f t r a n sp ort i n d ic a to r a sse ssm ents . T he T D I’s a p plic a tio n h as p ro vid ed v a lu ab le i n sig hts i n to t h e t y p e o f d ata t h at n e ed s t o b e c a p tu re d . I t h as a ls o u nd ers c o re d t h e n e ed f o r i m pro ve m ents i n d ata c o lle ctio n a n d a va ila b ilit y i n L M IC s, w it h r e g io nal e ff o rts i n d ata a n aly sis h o ld in g s ig nifi ca n t p ote ntia l t o i m pro ve a sse ssm ent a n d p olic y m akin g i n t r a n sp ort. T he e xa m ple o f t h e A sia n T ra nsp ort O utlo ok i s a p artic u la rly s u cce ssfu l d ata o b se rv a to ry f o r t h e A sia r e g io n a n d c o uld s e rv e a s a m od el t h at c o uld b e r e p lic a te d f o r m ore r e g io ns. C on clu sio n T he T D I p ro vid es a c rit ic a l f r a m ew ork f o r a sse ssin g a n d s u p portin g L M IC s i n t h e ir e ff o rts t o a ch ie ve 4 s u sta in ab le t r a n sp ort a n d t o r e d uce g re enh o use g as e m is sio ns f r o m t h e s e cto r w hile s u p portin g b ro ad er s u sta in ab le d eve lo pm ent o b je ctiv e s. D esp it e d ata c h alle ng es, t h e T D I h as p ro ve n t h at i t c a n b e a v a lu ab le t o ol f o r b ench m ark in g p erfo rm an ce a n d i n fo rm in g p olic y d ecis io ns, b y o fferin g a n uan ce d u nd ers ta n d in g o f k e y t r a n sp ort d im ensio ns s u ch a s e m is sio ns, g ove rn an ce , i n fr a str u ctu re a n d fi n an ce . T he m eth o d olo g y d eve lo ped t h ro ug h t h is p ro je ct p ro vid es a f o und atio n f o r f u tu re a sse ssm ents , e nab lin g c o untr ie s t o r e fin e t h e ir s tr a te g ie s a n d t o t a ke d ecis iv e s te p s t o w ard s s u sta in ab le a n d l o w c a rb on t r a n sp ort s y ste m s. F u tu re i t e ra tio ns o f t h e T D I c o uld a im t o e nh an ce t h e a sse ssm ent t h ro ug h t h e i n co rp ora tio n o f n e w i n d ic a to rs a n d f e atu re s. W it h m ore d ata a va ila b le , t h e T D I c o uld b e e nla rg ed t o i n clu d e m ore i n d ic a to rs t o r e fle ct e q uit y a n d i n fo rm al t r a n sp ort, a m ong o th e rs . A ddit io nal r e so urc e s w ould a llo w f o r t h e d eve lo pm ent a n d i m ple m enta tio n o f n e w t o ols a n d a p pro ach e s ( s u ch a s i n te ra ctiv e o nlin e d ash b oard s). 5 t