How does UNDP support the global shift to sustainable transport?

UNDP supports countries in transitioning towards sustainable transport through policy reform, capacity building, technology demonstrations and financial solutions. While a significant portion of UNDP’s work to date has focused on public transport systems, it also supports broader efforts across the transport value chain, including the electrification of smaller vehicles, infrastructure planning and institutional reform.

In addition, UNDP focuses on developing enabling environments by supporting national transport master plans and sustainable urban mobility plans, strengthening policy and legal frameworks, and enhancing institutional capacity for inclusive and integrated mobility planning. UNDP also collaborates with governments, the private sector and financial institutions to unlock climate finance, support green procurement and promote circular economy models.

In Uruguay, UNDP is supporting one of the world’s most advanced sustainable transport transitions. Building on a successful energy transition, where 97 percent of electricity now comes from renewables, the country is tackling its second transition: decarbonizing transport, which accounts for 27 percent of national energy demand and remains largely fossil-fuel dependent. UNDP is helping scale electric mobility by deploying electric buses and charging infrastructure, and offering integrated policy support.

In Ghana, UNDP conducted the country’s first electric mobility market opportunity study of charging stations to unlock climate-smart transport investments. The initiative assessed Ghana’s emerging electric vehicles ecosystem, identifying viable business models, infrastructure gaps and financing needs. This study is critical in the country's national deployment plans of 1,500 electric buses and expansion of bicycle lanes.

In Lebanon, UNDP is helping transform urban transport by deploying eco-friendly buses, improving cycling and pedestrian infrastructure and optimizing traffic flow. With over half of transport-related emissions originating from private vehicles, this support prioritizes low-income communities, ensuring equitable access to cleaner transport options.

In the Asia-Pacific region, UNDP is advancing e-mobility in SIDS and emerging economies. In Samoa, solar-powered chargers, battery swapping and electric vehicle pilots are reducing fossil fuel use. In Nauru, a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is developing an operational plan for a national bus system and has deployed two battery electric buses. In Sri Lanka and Indonesia, UNDP supports engine conversions and the deployment of two- and three-wheeler vehicles. In Pakistan, UNDP is helping design a national electric vehicle regulatory framework to guide future investment and policy action.

In cities worldwide, UNDP partners with the GEF through the Sustainable Cities Programme to pilot low-carbon transport solutions within broader urban development strategies. In cities such as Marrakesh (Morocco), San José (Costa Rica), and Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), initiatives range from eco-friendly public transit to infrastructure upgrades that promote walking and cycling.