According to the International Energy Agency, mobility accounts for about one-fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions. Looking on the bright side, in the transportation sector, actions to control emissions have already been implemented in many countries such as public transport options, zero-emission vehicles, and environmentally friendly fuels. Unfortunately, most of the countries that have take these initiatives are the developed ones. This impartiality of the eco-mobility progress between wealthy and developing nations creates another pressing issue: “the Green Divide.”
GREEN TRANSPORT DIVIDE
According to Climatewatchdata, an open data climate tracking platform, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation in low-income countries have doubled since 2000. This will eventually lead to the risk of a "Green divide," or a two-tier world where developed countries benefit from the change to cleaner fuels that are more environmentally friendly, which less wealthy regions cannot afford. As GHG emissions from transportations are projected to continue to increase in the developing countries, the efforts to combat climate change and achieve net zero in transportation could be severely hampered.
HOW TO PREVENT EXACERBATING THE GREEN TRANSPORT DIVIDE
First, reducing used car importation from developed countries is needed; second-hand vehicles emit much more carbon dioxide than factory-fresh ones. Millions of cars are exported annually from places such as the United States, Japan, and Europe to low-and-middle-income countries. In 2015-2018, 11 million used cars were exported to developing countries, while only 28 developing countries regulated emissions or safety standards for these dilapidated vehicles. Second, transportation infrastructure in developing countries must be constructed in an effective, safe, and comprehensive way from the beginning. This could be done with cooperation and funding from multinational corporations or international agencies. Last and most importantly, developing countries need to enhance the connectivity in transportation systems, reducing commuting times and allowing people to access transportation and service.
To sum up, bringing transport decarbonization strategies to more developing countries and advancing the transportation system effectiveness along with linking to green transport is the expectation on the road to the sustainability of the developing countries. With these measures, the gap created by Green Divide can be lessened and eventually closed.
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