At this year’s COP28 in Dubai, the largest yet to date, the Accelerating to Zero Coalition, in partnership with several other leading initiatives, announced the release of the COP28 Progress Update, a stocktake of the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition to date.
Breakthrough Agenda governments called on these initiatives to continue working toward setting common and coordinated ZEV transition targets and to send a global collective market signal in support of a Paris Agreement-aligned future. They nominated the Accelerating to Zero Coalition to coordinate across the initiatives and to review and communicate progress at COP28.
The Progress Update, using research conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation, analyzed the current state of play. The report shows that 52 countries have adopted policies or made commitments to phase-out internal combustion engine cars and vans along timelines consistent with a Paris-aligned ZEV transition, while 27 countries have made similar commitments for transitioning to zero-emission trucks and buses. These policy actions could deliver an estimated 42 Gt of CO2 emissions mitigation through 2050.
For the first time, this report collectively highlights the progress of seven different international initiatives, showcasing the global effort to accelerate an equitable transition to electric vehicles. These initiatives provide platforms for setting common and coordinated ZEV targets and measures to achieve a Paris-aligned emissions pathway, and to provide support or implementing actions. They include:
- EV100
- EV100+
- First Movers Coalition trucking commitment
- Fleet Electrification Coalition, under the Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance
- Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
- Zero-Emission Government Fleet Declaration
- Zero Emission Vehicles Declaration
“This report offers a comprehensive view across the global EV transition landscape,” says Tim Dallmann, director of the International Council on Clean Transportation’s (ICCT) International Partnerships Program. “It’s clear this transition isn’t guaranteed and it’s up to initiatives like Accelerating to Zero, for which ICCT serves as secretariat, to support signatories in achieving these ambitious targets and turning commitments into action.”
The report will be updated annually and reflect the growing community of international initiatives and commitments dedicated to the zero-emission vehicle transition.
The A2Z Coalition thanks CALSTART/Drive to Zero, the Clean Energy Ministerial, Climate Group, First Movers Coalition, and Smart Freight Center for their contributions to this important update.
