SOLUTIONSPlus showcases low-carbon transport solutions at Transforming Transportation Conference

Represented by the POLIS Secretary General Karen Vancluysen, SOLUTIONSPlus participated in the Transforming Transportation Conference, in Washington D.C., under the motto “Mobilising Finance for Climate Action”, showcasing how the project has been fostering low-carbon transport solutions in Ecuador – and beyond-, promoting economic and social development.

On 19-20 March 2024, the World Bank and the World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities co-hosted another edition of the Transforming Transportation Conference at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC. The EU-funded project SOLUTIONSPlus participated in the event, represented by the POLIS Secretary General Karen Vancluysen, during a high-level panel on urban freight decarbonisation.

Mobilising Finance for Climate Action

Founded in 2003, Transforming Transportation is the largest conference of its kind dedicated to fostering transport solutions in developing countries that address both climate and development goals. Across two days of technical sessions and plenaries, more than 150 speakers joined thousands of participants in Washington, D.C. and online, to accelerate innovation and create new partnerships. The conference covered key topics of concern for both climate change and sustainable development, including public transportation, electric mobility, walking and cycling, road safety, increasing access to jobs, education and health care.

Financing was a core theme of Transforming Transportation 2024, which brought together global leaders and transport professionals to explore how all stakeholders can mobilise resources for greener, safer, resilient transport for all, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Leveraging low-carbon urban freight through pilot initiatives in SOLUTIONPlus cities globally

Within that framework, POLIS was invited to share findings from the SOLUTIONSPlus project in a high-level technical panel discussion on urban freight decarbonisation. The session explored the latest advancements and strategies in urban freight.

As electrification continues to gain momentum, light commercial electric vehicle sales are set to rise quickly, reaching almost 70% of global sales by 2040 (BNEF 2023). The opportunities and implications of innovative tools in driving cities' decarbonisation efforts and shaping the future of urban freight were discussed, and the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating new technologies to promote equitable, low-emission transport were addressed.

Against this backdrop, Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General of the POLIS Network – a key partner in SOLUTIONSPlus - shared related experiences and outcomes of the project. More particularly, she highlighted the project’s exchange, capacity building & replication activities between different continents, involving cities, industry, research, implementing organisations and finance partners.

She explained how SOL+ has established a global platform for shared, public and commercial e-mobility solutions to kick-start the transition towards low-carbon urban mobility, rolled out city-level demonstrations, developed a toolbox and capacity building activities, and replicated the lessons learned, business models developed, technology solutions tested, and operational schemes implemented across selected countries.

Additionally, she zoomed in on the urban freight activities conducted in the project, including the multimodal e-mobility hub pilot in the historic centre of Quito, and the wide range of replication projects on urban freight, including the last-mile electric distribution scheme in Bogotá, the use of LEV’s for parcel distribution in Buenos Aires, the use of electric three-wheelers for delivery in the historic centre of Cuenca, the eTrikes for local women entrepreneurs and women-led community-based organisations in Kissi Town (Kenya) and Lome (Togo), the electric motorcycle scheme for food/grocery deliveries in Nairobi (Kenya), and the training scheme in Kampala (Uganda) for women to become electric motorcycle-taxi/delivery drivers.

The project met with great interest from the participants and other panelists, which included Stephanie Kodish from Calstart, Liu Xiaoshi from China EV100, Eloisa Rios from Speed Bird Aero, and Cristina Albuquerque from the World Resources Institute. The well-attended session was moderated by Boutheina Guermazi from the World Bank.