Countries should collectively commit to a quantified goal for transitioning away from fossil fuels in the transport sector. We propose a sectoral target of a shift to 35 percent green fuels and a 25 percent reduction in transport energy consumption (compared to 2022) by 2035. Such a goal encompasses all transport modes and embodies a comprehensive approach that includes a range of technologies, among them electrification, shifts to more sustainable travel such as rail and public transport, and scaling sustainable fuels for aviation and maritime.

At the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in December 2023, the first global stocktake (GST)—sought to track progress toward the Paris Agreement’s goals and inform enhanced climate action—calling for countries to transition away from fossil fuels across all sectors. Further, it asked countries to accelerate emission reductions in road transport through a range of pathways. Although the GST identified some quantified goals, such as tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of energy efficiency by 2030, it did not establish a quantified transport target. This expert note explores the analysis from the International Energy Agency for developing a global quantified goal for the transport sector. The proposed transport goal stitches together existing sub-sectoral agreements and should be agreed on by countries, particularly by transport and related ministries, to inform climate commitments and Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs.