The International Union of Railways (UIC) has at COP30, the World Climate Conference, in Belém, Brazil, called for greater consideration of rail transport in global climate policy. According to the UIC, the transport sector is currently responsible for around 24 percent of global CO2 emissions and is regarded as the fastest-growing emitter. To achieve the target of a maximum warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, transport emissions would have to fall by 59 percent by 2050.
According to UIC, currently only 23 percent of climate finance in the transport sector flows into rail and public transport. The overwhelming part of investments continues to go into emission-intensive transport modes such as road and air traffic. In the association's assessment, this development jeopardizes the achievement of national climate targets, as freight and passenger transport will continue to rely on climate-damaging transport means without a targeted shift to rail.
Focus on rail in the COP30 Transport Pavilion
This year
COP30 has, for the first time, its own area dedicated to transport topics. The UIC appears there as sponsor and co-creator to strengthen the role of rail in global climate protection. At the center are three strategic thematic fields: the integration of rail into national climate plans, access to climate financing via carbon markets, and the adaptation of rail infrastructure to increasing climate extremes.
National climate contributions increasingly consider rail transport
According to a current analysis by the UIC, nine of nineteen examined countries have anchored the expansion of rail transport in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). About 58 percent of the measures named there relate to freight transport. For example, Chile has announced, according to the UIC, that by 2028 it will examine mechanisms for public-private cooperation to improve multimodal infrastructure, technology, and rail operations. The aim is to increase the share of rail transport in total transport.
Carbon markets to ease financing of
rail projects
Together with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), the UIC has published a position paper that examines the application of Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement to rail and public transport. According to the UIC, this rule could help particularly low- and middle-income countries to mobilize climate financing for rail projects. In addition, the organization is examining further approaches via Article 6.2 as well as national and voluntary carbon markets.
According to UIC studies, aligning the expansion level of rail transport in developing and emerging economies with that of the leading states by 2050 could achieve emissions avoidance of up to 1.8 billion tonnes of CO2. This would correspond to a potential financing volume of 27 to 72 billion US dollars at a price of 15 to 40 US dollars per tonne of CO₂ equivalent.
Climate adaptation programs in rail transport
With the program "Resilient Railways" (RERA), the UIC provides, according to
its own statements, technical guidelines to help rail operators prepare for increasing climate extremes. The program includes, among other things, the creation of climate risk maps, assessment of vulnerabilities, development of indicators to measure the resilience of infrastructures, as well as nature-based solutions and cross-sector collaboration.
Aim: Integrated and resilient transport systems
According to the UIC, their engagement at COP30 is not only about presenting the environmental benefits of rail transport. Rather, it should contribute to an integrated and multimodal transport system that reduces the dominant share of road-based freight and passenger transport. This corresponds to the findings of the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement.
The UIC will be represented at the conference by Joo Hyun Ha and Lucie Anderton. In addition to the two, member organizations such as ANP Trilhos from Brazil and Kenya Railways will participate in the events to exchange insights, build partnerships, and advance the importance of rail in
