On the topic of climate neutrality, it can generally be said that the use of individual vehicles in the Global South plays a subordinate role compared to, for example, Europe or North America. However, these regions will experience significant population growth in the coming decades, and at the same time motorisation will increase year by year. The number of vehicles in use worldwide will more than double from about 1.4 billion today to an estimated three billion in 2050. The topic of decarbonising the transport sector, also in the Global South, should therefore not be underestimated in its relevance to international climate policy and the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Adding to the aspect of local transport systems and their decarbonisation, there are a multitude of interactions between the Global South and Europe. In the pursuit of truly sustainable mobility, these must be kept in mind - starting with the raw materials and energy needed for the electrification of transport, through the international used car market, the role of development cooperation, all the way to industrially and geopolitically strategic questions about technology and infrastructure projects.
Some of these interrelationships will be highlighted and provide an overview of priorities and strategies for CO2 avoidance in the transport sector in countries of the Global South.
