# Leaders recognise the importance of green transport at COP27, but we need data
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-12-09
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: COP27 Summit Promises Sustainable Transport Progress
Meta Description: Discover the importance of sustainable transport in reducing CO2 emissions and how data plays a crucial role in making transport networks more efficient.
URL: https://financedigest.com/leaders-recognise-the-importance-of-green-transport-at-cop27-but-we-need-datahtml

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_By_ **_Devin De Vries,_** _CEO, WhereIsMyTransport_

The COP27 summit, which recently wrapped up in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, promised to bring sustainable transport [to the forefront](https://www.uitp.org/news/cop27-to-bring-sustainable-transport-to-the-forefront-of-this-years-climate-talks/) of the annual climate talks. As much as there’s a certain irony in an event where many delegates arrived by private jet (some [400 are believed to have landed](https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/cop27-attendees-criticised-for-hypocrisy-after-egypt-receives-400-private-jets/articleshow/95530258.cms) in Egypt through the course of the conference) talking about sustainable transport is important.

At present, transport has the highest reliance on fossil fuel of any sector and was responsible for [37% of CO2 emissions](https://www.iea.org/topics/transport) from end‐use sectors in 2021. But making the sector sustainable is about more than just reducing its reliance on [fossil fuels](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-approves-effective-ban-on-new-fossil-fuel-cars-from-2035.html "EU approves effective ban on new fossil fuel cars from 2035"). Some countries (most notably in Europe) have taken [strong steps in ending the sale](https://www.financedigest.com/indias-tata-motors-jumps-to-a-7-month-high-on-strong-q4-jlr-sales.html "India’s Tata Motors jumps to a 7-month high on strong Q4 JLR sales") of new fossil fuel vehicles, but that can only achieve so much.

There needs to be a concerted effort towards [sustainability from across the transport](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-eni-sets-up-sustainable-transport-services-company.html "Italy’s Eni sets up sustainable transport services company") sector. That includes both getting more people onto public [transport and making existing networks](https://www.financedigest.com/strikes-bring-londons-transport-network-to-a-halt.html "Strikes bring London’s transport network to a halt") more efficient. The latter is particularly important in the Majority World, where most [people rely on informal networks and operators for their daily commuting needs](https://www.financedigest.com/anyone-can-write-assignment-need-people-able-apply-new-skills-workplace-says-top-investment-management-company.html "“Anyone can write an assignment, but we need people to be able to apply their new skills to the workplace,” says top investment management company"). But if the world is really serious about making the changes needed for transport to be sustainable, especially in the Majority World, [data is essential](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-a-virtual-data-room-unveil-the-essential-information-here.html "What is a Virtual Data Room? Unveil the Essential Information Here!").

**Finding fuel efficiency in shorter commutes**

In order to understand why data is so important, it’s worth taking a deeper look at some of the [challenges commuters and transport operators in the Majority World face](https://www.financedigest.com/under-saved-and-underprepared-women-face-challenges-saving-for-retirement.html "UNDER-SAVED AND UNDERPREPARED: WOMEN FACE CHALLENGES SAVING FOR RETIREMENT").

The world’s fastest-growing cities are almost all in emerging markets. [Places where population growth has outstripped the city’s](https://www.financedigest.com/downsizers-in-the-big-city-why-wembley-park-is-the-place-to-be-for-those-who-want-more-for-less.html "Downsizers in the big city – why Wembley Park is the place to be for those who want more for less  ") ability to scale its public transport infrastructure to match the need. As a result, commuters predominantly use either their own privately owned transport (if they can afford it) or informal public transport, which has grown to [meet demand](https://www.financedigest.com/meeting-both-operational-and-customer-demands-how-insurance-can-adapt-in-a-disrupted-world.html "Meeting both operational and customer demands – how insurance can adapt in a disrupted world").

While those informal [networks and operators](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-network-operators-monetise-television-quickly-and-effectively.html "How can network operators monetise television quickly and effectively?") play an important role, especially when it comes to getting people from underserved areas to and from work, they—like every other vehicle—also contribute to traffic in some of the most heavily congested cities on the planet.

In Bangkok, for example, commuters can waste a [week per year](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-weekly-jobless-claims-fall-layoffs-lowest-in-more-than-21-years.html "U.S. weekly jobless claims fall; layoffs lowest in more than 21 years") stuck in traffic, meaning available information on road conditions is highly valued. And in Dar es Salaam, less than one in 10 households own a car in the city, so 43% of commuters use [public transport to get to and from work](https://www.financedigest.com/the-new-fangled-normal-of-working-from-home-to-push-the-public-cloud-service-market.html "The “New-Fangled” Normal of “Working from Home” to Push the Public Cloud Service Market") daily.

Given the very real link between congestion and [increased emissions](https://www.accessmagazine.org/fall-2009/traffic-congestion-greenhouse-gases/), any efficiencies that can be found are bound to be beneficial to the planet as well as to commuters and operators. That’s especially true when you [consider how far many of these cities are from being able to adopt emission-free transport](https://www.financedigest.com/chevron-considering-rail-transport-for-kazakhstan-oil-ceo-says.html "Chevron considering rail transport for Kazakhstan oil, CEO says") options at scale. But in order for this more efficient vision to become a reality, data is critical.

**Authentic, on-the-ground data**

Accurate, location-based [data made easily available does a number](https://www.financedigest.com/why-finance-teams-need-to-go-beyond-numbers-to-an-active-relationship-with-data.html "Why finance teams need to go beyond numbers to an active relationship with data ") of things. Commuters, for example, are able to choose the most [efficient routes](https://www.financedigest.com/iforces-route-genie-to-drive-efficient-carrier-management-for-freestylextreme.html "IFORCE’S ROUTE GENIE TO DRIVE EFFICIENT CARRIER MANAGEMENT FOR FREESTYLEXTREME") (reducing their personal emissions). The same is true for transport operators, who can also get a better sense of where their hubs [need to be in order to cater to customers](https://www.financedigest.com/why-empathy-needs-to-sit-at-the-heart-of-bbls-and-cbils-customer-service.html "Why empathy needs to sit at the heart of BBLS and CBILS customer service") as efficiently as possible. Utilised effectively, it can help them make more [money with fewer vehicles spending less time](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-use-algorithms-to-save-time-and-make-money-when-trading-currency-crypto-shares-etc.html "How to use algorithms to save time and make money when trading (currency, crypto, shares etc)") on the road.

But this [kind of data can also be beneficial to businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/4-kinds-of-software-your-new-business-needs.html "4 Kinds of Software Your New Business Needs"), helping them put their distribution centres and retail locations in places that are as close to their customers as possible. That again results in shoppers having to take fewer, and shorter, trips.

At WhereIsMyTransport, we understand just how powerful authentic, on-the-ground data can be. It’s why we built our [consumer product Rumbo—an app which makes informed travel](https://www.financedigest.com/european-airlines-see-travel-withstanding-consumer-squeeze-for-now.html "European airlines see travel withstanding consumer squeeze for now") by public transport possible, and sustainable mobility more realistic for people.

This kind of data-driven [approach isn’t just important](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-a-proactive-and-collaborative-approach-to-reducing-contactless-fraud.html "THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROACTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO REDUCING CONTACTLESS FRAUD") for Majority-World cities either. No matter where you are, it can help make the electrification of mobility networks possible, [informed by knowledge of how the complete system](https://www.financedigest.com/the-radiology-information-systems-market-shall-be-growing-unabatedly-in-the-future.html "The Radiology Information Systems Market shall be growing unabatedly in the future") really operates. It can also help [build the investment](https://www.financedigest.com/bmw-invests-1-7-billion-to-build-electric-vehicles-in-u-s.html "BMW invests .7 billion to build electric vehicles in U.S") case for working on mobility networks.

**Beyond COP**

Ultimately then, no matter which transport resolutions made at COP27 come to fruition, it should be clear that [data has a critical role](https://www.financedigest.com/theres-nothing-artificial-about-the-role-of-ai-and-data-in-the-finance-industry.html "There’s nothing artificial about the role of AI and data in the finance industry ") to play. But data, applied effectively, can also help commuters and operators alike ensure that transport is more sustainable, regardless of what decisions are made by those in power.

When you get mobility right, the rest follows. The [benefits of transport informed by accurate location-based data](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-big-data-how-to-convince-your-cfo.html "THE BENEFITS OF BIG DATA – HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR CFO") extend far beyond the environment. They also include, among other things, more livable cities with people who are less stressed out and who have more [time to spend](https://www.financedigest.com/office-workers-waste-more-time-on-slow-tech-than-they-spend-on-holiday.html "Office Workers Waste More Time on Slow Tech Than They Spend on Holiday") with their friends and families.

In the wake of a COP that seemed less optimistic than previous editions, that’s a vision worth fighting for.


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