The Global

Commitment

COP27 Global Commitment to Strengthening International Assistance for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies in the Road Transport Sector¹

As representatives of governments with an influence over the provision of political, technical and financial assistance to support Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) transitions and wider improved sustainable mobility in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs²), we:

  1. Note with concern that, while substantial progress is being made to accelerate the ZEV transition, this progress is particularly concentrated in advanced and leading markets, creating a growing risk of a two-track ZEV transition where EMDEs are unable to benefit from the growth, health and security opportunities that an accelerated transition can bring; and which in turn risks undermining our shared climate ambitions and the objective of the Paris Agreement, including urgent collective efforts to keep 1.5°C within reach;
  2. Welcome the attention placed on this challenge in the 2022 Breakthrough Agenda Report, which encourages urgent strengthened international action to help EMDEs that wish to move faster in the transition to mobilise further private sector investment at scale behind their ZEV transitions, and underline our determination to accelerate the global transition;
  3. Welcome the work of the International Assistance Taskforce (IAT) at the request of the ZEV Transition Council (ZEVTC), and the engagement of EMDEs in the ZEV Regional Dialogues, to explore options and priorities for strengthened international assistance that have subsequently informed the actions listed under paragraph 6;
  4. Recognise the vital role of other mobility forms – such as active mobility and the shift to public transport– so we can holistically decarbonise the transport sector at pace;
  5. Commit to work systematically together – in partnership with EMDE governments, IAT partners, public and private finance institutions, philanthropies, civil society and other relevant assistance providers, including through existing funds and fora – to strengthen the coordination, accessibility, availability and inclusivity of international assistance to support EMDEs’ ZEV and wider sustainable mobility transitions, so it is increasingly effective at leveraging private sector investment at the scale needed;
  6. Intend to oversee and – within the scopes of our mandates – support the delivery of the following set of actions, or part of it, in 2023 through the ZEVTC Secretariat and IAT partners, as a set of first steps under this new standing pillar of ZEVTC activity:
    • Update and review the current landscape of international assistance (building on the IAT’s initial landscape map, published separately) to improve the transparency and accessibility of current assistance available, and to identify and address gaps or weaknesses in the current provision;
    • Launch a ZEV Rapid Response Facility (RRF) to provide a coordinated, accessible and responsive mechanism for EMDEs, drawing on the full range of existing assistance;
    • Launch a Country Partnership model to pilot how concentrated and aggregated international assistance can be organised to support the most ambitious EMDEs to realise their own ZEV transition plans at pace, and with a view to refining and rolling out this model to further countries in future;
    • Launch a series of private sector investment dialogues between EMDE governments and major private sector companies looking to invest in EMDE ZEV transitions to support the identification of commercial opportunities and critical enabling conditions needed to unlock them; and
    • Publish a Global ZEV Transition Roadmap at COP28, setting out progress against the above, an assessment of the state of the transition in EMDEs and an updated package of actions, and commit to update this roadmap accordingly at each COP summit through to 2030.

    ¹This Commitment is not legally binding, and involved governments are not necessarily involved in each activity listed under paragraph 6.

    ²In this context, EMDEs refer to the 140 ODA recipient countries currently on the DAC list (2022-23) – here.

Signatories:

  • Germany
  • Japan
  • The Netherlands
  • South Korea
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Resources

ZEV Country Partnership with India

ZEV Emerging Markets Initiative (ZEV-EM-I) Concept Note

ZEV Rapid Response Facility Concept Note

ZEV Rapid Response Facility Webpage

Additional Reading

Supporting International Cooperation to Map and Strengthen Existing Support and Plans for 2023