Environment & Sustainability

 Challenges of Transport

Transport plays a vital role within a global economy. An efficient transport system is of crucial importance for the competitiveness of the economy and the mobility of citizens. It brings enormous benefits to society but also enormous costs. At the first World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD WSSD United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development ) in 1992 in Rio, transport was pointed out as a key area in order to achieve sustainable development and to reduce the effects of climate changes. However, today transport patterns are far away from being sustainable: Transport is the only sector with increasing greenhouse gas-emissions.

 Rail is the backbone of sustainable mobility

However, in this picture, railways offer the backbone of sustainable mobility – offering the most efficient transport built on very low environmental impact, positive economic growth and social equality. Hence the work of the Environment and Sustainability Team of UIC is focusing on continuously improving the environment and sustainability performance of rail.

The activities of the Environment and Sustainability Team of UIC include in particular energy efficiency and CO2, emissions reduction, noise reduction, soil pollution, sustainable mobility and external costs.