[Title] G7 Transport Ministerial Declaration
[Preamble]
1. We, the G7 Transport Ministers, held a meeting in Ise-shima, Mie on June 16-18, 2023, to discuss and exchange approaches and joint responses to common challenges in the transportation sector, during which we reaffirmed the importance of accessible, sustainable, resilient, efficient, and equitable transportation systems and supply chains and recognized that new and innovative approaches and greater collaboration are essential elements in meeting these goals. Overarching all of these topics, we reiterated our preeminent goal of ensuring safety across all modes of transportation.
2. Transportation systems and supply chain infrastructure are fundamental to supporting sustainable economic growth, prosperity and employment, and contribute to social well- being by providing access to economic opportunities and essential services. They also promote mobility and connect people, cultures and ideas.
3. However, recently, the transportation systems and the supply chains which rely on them have been disrupted by external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and by changes in socio-economic circumstances such as aging populations and climate change, all of which have undermined the potential benefits that transportation brings.
4. Despite progress on recovering from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues to exact a human toll and presents serious challenges to international connectivity, global transportation, supply chains, food security, and the lives and livelihoods of those who depend on them. The global transportation systems and supply chains will become fully functional again only when peace has been achieved. We, the G7 Transport Ministers, express our solidarity and support for Ukraine and condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's unjustifiable and unprovoked war of aggression.
5. We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the peacefully established status of territories by force or coercion anywhere in the world. We recall the G7 Hiroshima Leaders' Communiqué where leaders expressed their determination to support a free and open Indo- Pacific.
6. Barriers to transportation faced by people living in rural areas, older persons, persons with disabilities, low-income households, indigenous peoples, those in the most vulnerable situations, and other disadvantaged groups pose major obstacles to achieving multimodal accessibility and affordability for all people. We believe that gender equity and equality are imperative to strengthening economies and nations. In order to achieve this, it is important to enable access for women in all their diversity to safe and affordable transportation, establish pathways to access training and career opportunities, and support the inclusion and retention of women in the sector, and promote progress in transport careers, including leadership positions. We seek to increase public awareness about the illicit use of transportation systems for human trafficking, which disproportionally affects women and girls.
7. We also recognize that human-induced climate change is accelerating, posing grave risks to our nations' transportation infrastructure, and that urgent action is needed to reduce transportation emissions on a trajectory consistent with net-zero emissions by 2050, as well as to safeguard the sector against the impacts of a changing climate.
8. We recognize that in order for transportation systems and supply chains to overcome these challenges, we need to work to increase accessibility, sustainability, resiliency, affordability, availability, and safety as rapidly as possible, while giving due consideration to protection of transport users. We believe further leveraging innovation is an essential element needed to bolster and facilitate our efforts. We resolve to promote innovative transportation and supply chain policies, and to implement technologies, including digital technology, through enhanced collaboration partnerships between the public and private sector with appropriate support from governments. We also recognize that delivering accessible, quality, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure both within the G7 and globally through initiatives such as the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment and supporting workforce development to help ensure there are sufficiently trained workers ready to meet the demands of these new investments will help address these challenges. Through this, we will lead the way to increasing sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
[Solidarity and cooperation for Ukraine]
9. We strongly condemn any attempt by Russia to undermine the freedom of navigation for Ukrainian operators in the Black Sea and recognize the importance of international cooperation to ensure that global supply chains remain resilient and undeterred by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This cooperation includes the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, which allows Ukraine to import and export vital goods, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allows Ukraine to export agricultural goods such as food and fertilizers, as well as alternative sustainable transport connections between Asia and Europe bypassing Russia, including the Middle Corridor and Central Trans-Caspian Network supported through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.
10. We recognize Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has severely damaged transport infrastructure, resulting in major disruptions to international connectivity and global supply chains, which consequently has impacted goods and components relevant to the transport system. We, the G7 Transport Ministers, therefore reaffirm our intent to support the restoration of sustainable transport infrastructure within Ukraine in close coordination with the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine, and in enhancing cross-border connectivity to build resilient supply chains beyond its borders, in line with the Trans- European Transport Network. We remain committed to our nations sharing information regarding supply chain risks and supporting each other in implementing mitigation and contingency measures to strengthen supply chain resilience. The disruption to global supply chains triggered by the Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine made us acknowledge once again the importance of global supply chain resilience. To this end, we will consider the establishment of a G7 Transport Working Group on Transportation Supply Chains to share best practices and explore areas of mutual cooperation to strengthen transportation resiliency.
11. We recognize there are environmental and financial risks posed by irregular shipping practices, especially increased ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil in the open ocean involving oil tankers that have turned off satellite transponders or used other methods of obfuscation (i.e. location tampering, course deviations, etc.), as well as increased reliance on unproven insurance providers and use of outdated ships with substandard maintenance. These actions increase the risks of collisions and pollution from oil spills and threaten the integrity of the global marine regulatory regime.
12. We, the G7 Transport Ministers, support efforts at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to raise awareness of the need to address these risks, including by enforcing greater transparency on ship ownership, flag state, and insurance arrangements. We call upon flag states and service providers of the vessels engaging in these irregular shipping practices to ensure their ships, shipowners and operators adhere to measures which lawfully prohibit or regulate ship-to-ship transfers, and that such vessels adhere to the spirit of the safety requirements in IMO conventions and practice safe shipping standards to minimize the risk of oil pollution.
[Accessible and Equitable Transportation]
13. We recognize the importance and economic and social value of increasing the provision of accessible transportation for persons with reduced mobility, such as older persons and persons with disabilities. Based on that recognition, we confirm the importance of promoting and implementing safe and barrier-free access in the transportation sector based on the concept of universal design, grounded on the goals that each G7 member set.
14. While making the built environment and vehicles barrier-free is important, we also confirm that the concept of barrier-free can include intangible perspectives, such as attitudinal, information, communication and other less tangible barriers that can make transport inaccessible for various persons, including older persons and persons with disabilities. We also confirm the importance of being actively aware that non-disabled persons will tend not to consider the barriers that they may be putting in place. To that end, promoting mutual understanding among all persons will help addressing these barriers. We intend to promote barrier-free transport, including addressing intangible perspectives, through sharing information on policies, challenges and best practices. For this purpose, we decide to hold an officials meeting composed of G7 members.
15. We recognize the barriers that a lack of accessibility to safe transportation can pose, particularly for underserved, disadvantaged and those in the most vulnerable situations. Based on that recognition, we confirm the importance of continuing to advance availability of affordable, fair and equitable transportation services, taking into account the needs of all groups of transport users.
16. We recognize the importance of providing more efficient, sustainable, affordable, equitable, accessible and convenient methods of mobility by utilizing every option available, including through technological advancements, provision of new mobility services and automated and connected road transport designed and developed with accessibility considerations, and implementation of sustainable urban development policy in collaboration with various stakeholders, in order to improve seamless, door-to-door access to all people in all regions, especially outside economic centers including rural areas where the population is decreasing. Based on this recognition, we decide to compile a report on policies and measures in each G7 member to share solutions and encourage best practices.
17. Innovation in the transportation sector is an opportunity to provide new, safe, convenient, accessible and affordable transportation services that will enable greater economic opportunities, particularly for marginalized or vulnerable groups, including but not limited to older persons, LGBTQIA+ people, women, low-income households, persons with disabilities and people living in rural areas. In order to ensure accessibility to transportation through innovation, we will continue sharing information on the status of policies, challenges, opportunities and best practices among the G7 members.
[Sustainable Transportation]
General
18. We share recognition that the transportation sector accounts for approximately one-quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions and these emissions are expected to continue to grow if left unchecked, due to increasing global population, and increasing demand for mobility and just in time delivery of goods. In order to keep a limit of 1.5°C global temperature rise within reach, it is necessary to rapidly and significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all sectors, including the transportation sector, through the facilitation of sustainable behaviours and deployment of clean technologies in partnership with relevant actors across the economy.
19. We recognize the importance of driving down GHG emissions from all modes of transportation, while also determining the optimal way to move people and goods through mode optimization.
20. We recognize the central role that innovation will need to play in decarbonizing the transportation sector to support an accessible, sustainable and green future while building more resilient and efficient supply chains that utilize and promote clean technologies, and to promote mobility solutions with a low environmental footprint. In this context, we are committed to exploring opportunities to enhance collaboration when it comes to strengthening the performance of our transportation systems and supply chains, including opportunities to de-risk and diversify, particularly through sharing best practices in innovation among the G7 members and promoting their implementation, including digital solutions. We also recognize that it is important that the net zero transition be outcome- based and technology neutral.
21. We recognize that infrastructure and transport services must also be adapted to climate change and made resilient to an increased intensity and frequency of extreme climate events. We confirm the importance of international cooperation and sharing best practices regarding adaptation to climate change, both for estimating the impacts of climate change on accessible transport infrastructure and services and for evaluating (including from an economic point of view) and prioritizing adaptation actions. We confirm the importance of enabling synergies between adaptation and mitigation of climate change, by avoiding maladaptation and emphasizing nature-based solutions.
22. We recognize that in addition to reducing GHG emissions, we face other major challenges in the context of sustainable transport such as reducing land use, improving air quality and reducing noise pollution, and addressing impacts on biodiversity.
Air transportation
23. We recognize the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as the only globally agreed market-based measure for the reduction of carbon emissions in international aviation, and we affirm our nations' commitment to implement CORSIA. The G7 members strongly believe that robust implementation and advancement of the environmental ambition of CORSIA together with the whole basket of measures will spur innovation in the sector and provide a key element moving toward the decarbonization of international aviation.
24. We welcome the adoption of the Long-Term Global Aspirational Goal (LTAG) for international aviation of "net-zero carbon emissions by 2050", in support of the Paris Agreement temperature goal, as adopted at the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), ahead of other transportation sectors. We acknowledge that adoption of the LTAG is a historical outcome and recognize the role that the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC-COP 26) Declaration of the International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition, to which all G7 members are signatories, played in forming the basis for the LTAG. We are committed to facilitating global implementation of the LTAG.
25. We recognize the importance of collaborating on the research, development and deployment of zero emission and lower carbon technologies and policies for aviation and take necessary actions in providing the capacity building and assistance to advance decarbonization for other nations including developing countries. We intend to work together to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) that, compared to a petroleum-based jet fuel baseline, eliminate a majority of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and also meet strong sustainability criteria such as those adopted by ICAO. We will strive to improve the efficiency of operations including air traffic management, and incorporate new technologies into aircraft and equipment, as a means of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Efforts must also focus on decarbonization of the entire aviation sector, including airport operations.
26. Further, we will support the adoption of an ambitious global framework on SAF at the upcoming ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuel (CAAF/3), consistent with ICAO's climate goals.
Maritime transportation
27. We reaffirm our commitment to strengthen global efforts to achieve GHG life cycle zero emissions from international shipping by 2050 at the latest. We commit to support this target and the introduction of ambitious and feasible intermediate targets for 2030 and 2040 for the revised IMO Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy during the upcoming IMO's 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC80), in line with efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
28. We recognize the importance of promoting innovations such as the development of zero- emission ships and associated infrastructure and the establishment of energy supply chains to achieve these GHG reduction targets. We commit to work for the development and adoption of mid-term measures by 2025 to achieve these targets, consisting of regulatory signals for the timely reduction of GHG fuel intensity and incentives for first movers to accelerate the transformation of shipping such as the introduction of zero-emission ships in the early stage, while recognizing the importance of a just and equitable transition that leaves no one behind.
29. Recognizing the necessity to ensure the safety of zero- and near zero-emission ships, we commit to promote IMO's work, by its relevant committees, for the development of safety requirements for ships using new technologies and fuels and the development of training and competency requirements for seafarers to operate these ships. We also recognize the necessity of sharing knowledge and experience of zero- and near zero-emission fuel bunkering among relevant stakeholders.
30. We recognize that green shipping corridors can help speed up the development, testing and use of scalable zero- and near zero-emission fuels and technologies, and the investments for infrastructure for the shipping and port industry. As part of our multilateral cooperation, we pledge to support the establishment of at least 14 green shipping corridors involving G7 members by the middle of this decade. We also pledge to support the establishment of additional green shipping corridors worldwide in order to promote the reduction of GHG emissions on a life cycle basis through the uptake of zero- and near zero-emission ships and fuels and the development of decarbonized ports.
31. Moreover, we recognize the importance of port decarbonization in establishing green shipping corridors. We recognize that common and concrete efforts such as zero- and near zero-emission fuels bunkering, zero- and near zero-emission cargo handling equipment, digitalization of the ship-to-shore exchanging information process and onshore power supply contribute to the establishment of green shipping corridors. We commit to support the efforts by ports and other stakeholders in working together on port decarbonization.
Land transportation
32. We commit to a highly decarbonized road sector by 2030. We welcome the G7 Hiroshima Leaders' Communiqué and the 2023 G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers' Communiqué, including the statement of "Noting that the global vehicle stock is over 15 times more than the new sales vehicles, we recognize the critical importance of swiftly and substantially reducing GHG emissions from the global fleet. We recognize the range of pathways that G7- and beyond-G7 members are adopting to approach this goal. We are committed to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the road sector by 2050, and underline that a transition over the coming decade to infrastructure and a vehicle fleet that supports zero emissions transport (e.g., zero emission vehicles (ZEV) and associated infrastructure, and sustainable carbon-neutral fuels) is critical. While we are pursuing various pathways to achieve this transition, each of us is committed to pursuing policies and investments to ensure that our efforts to decarbonize our vehicle fleet are in line with trajectories required for keeping a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach and are consistent with environmental and climate integrity. In this context, we highlight the various actions that each of us is taking to decarbonize our vehicle fleet, including such domestic policies that are designed to achieve 100 percent or the overwhelming penetration of sales of light duty vehicles (LDVs) as ZEV by 2035 and beyond; to achieve 100 percent electrified vehicles in new passenger car sales by 2035; to promote associated infrastructure and sustainable carbon-neutral fuels including sustainable bio- and synthetic fuels. We note the opportunities that these policies offer to contribute to a highly decarbonized road sector, including progressing towards a share of over 50 percent of zero emission LDVs sold globally by 2030. Noting the findings of Energy Technology Perspective 2023 by IEA on effectively reduced emissions through holistic policies since 2000 we note the opportunity to collectively reduce by at least 50 percent, CO2 emissions from G7 vehicle stock by 2035 or earlier relative to the level in 2000 as a halfway point to achieving net zero and to track the progress on our efforts and emission reductions from vehicle stock as well as the penetration of ZEVs, charging infrastructure, and sustainable carbon neutral fuels on a yearly basis."
33. We recognize the importance of assessing GHG emissions from the road sector across its entire life cycle, including raw material extraction, vehicle manufacturing, use and disposal or recycling, in order to realize a highly decarbonized road sector.
34. We recognize that the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)'s World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) plays an important role in promoting safety and advancing technological innovation through development of internationally harmonized technical regulations, standards and guidelines for automated and connected vehicles, air pollution and decarbonization technologies in the road sector, such as safety and battery durability of electrified vehicles, safety of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and GHG emissions assessment over the entire vehicle life cycle. We intend to continue and strengthen our efforts in WP.29 to promote safe, transparent, and science based technical regulations, standards and guidelines.
35. We recognize that railway is an environmentally friendly mode of transport. We recognize the importance of promoting the uptake of railway technology which causes no direct emissions, and is energy-efficient, and the development of a performant railway system, including the enhancement of the interoperability and efficiency of railway that contributes to improved environmental performance of the transport system. We also recognize the importance of collaboration among G7 members to share information, best practices, and regulatory approaches, with the goal to further reduce the environmental impact and increase the use of rail.
36. We recognize the role that a shift towards more energy efficient modes of transportation, including maritime, railway, public transport, shared mobility, walking and cycling, contributes to reducing GHG emissions and air pollution across the entire transportation sector.
[Conclusion]
37. We, the G7 Transport Ministers, reaffirm our commitment to continued collaboration with relevant international partners and institution such as ICAO, IMO, UNECE's WP.29 and International Transport Forum, as well as at UNFCCC-COP28. We warmly welcome the intention of forthcoming Italian Presidency of the G7 to convene a Transport Ministers' Meeting in 2024.