Walking and cycling featured prominently once again at this year’s COP30 climate conference, thanks to the ongoing engagement and advocacy efforts of ECF and Walk21, together with the Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH) coalition partners.
Hosted by the Government of Brazil, the 30th edition of the UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties (COP) took place in Belem from 10 to 21 November 2025. ECF CEO Laurianne Krid was in attendance representing ECF in our capacity as a UN-accredited observer NGO, and together with Walk21 CEO Bronwen Thornton representing PATH as founding and core coordinating partners.
Walking and cycling in the spotlight
Walking and cycling were once again well-represented and discussed across the COP30 programme, with PATH partners ECF and Walk21 joining three Official Side Events and five Blue Zone Pavilion Events in the Transport, Korean, Health and Mediterranean Pavilions.
Across discussions, high-level speakers emphasised the essential role of active mobility in lowering transport emissions, improving public health and expanding access to safe and sustainable transport. There was strong engagement from local and international actors—including politicians, advocates and civil society organisations—who are working to advance the active mobility agenda. This year also saw valuable links into broader dimensions of the agenda. PATH partners contributed to air quality and emission-reduction sessions, as well as discussions on the importance of active mobility to public health agendas and financing. For example, PATH’s work on walking and cycling in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) was included in a forward-looking conversation hosted by the International Transport Forum (ITF). Furthermore, COP30 catalysed stronger relationships with the local community and networks in the region.
Official Side Events
- COP30 Action Agenda: Advancing Sustainable Urban Mobility: A Showcase of Results and Solutions, organised by UITP, UIC, SLOCAT, PATH, TRUE, 2030 Avoid Shift Breakthrough
- Air quality, health and climate: data and philanthropic support bridging key agendas, organised by Sustenta Honduras, FIA Foundation
- Unlocking Finance for Low-Carbon Transport, organised by UITP, ECF, Sustentar, UIC
Blue Zone Pavilion Events
- Transport’s New Ambition for NDCs 3.0, organised by International Transport Forum, SLOCAT, MPGCA Transport Thematic Group
- Walking and Cycling to Climate Resilience, organised by FIA Foundation, ECF, Walk21, UNEP (PATH Partnership)
- Active Mobility for Lower Emissions and Better Health, organised by FIA Foundation, ECF, Walk21, UNEP (PATH Partnership)
- From Solutions & Results to Scaling Up Implementation of Low-Carbon Mobility – A focus on Rail, Public Transport and Active Mobility in the Next Generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) in Mediterranean countries, organised by Union for the Mediterranean, UITP, UIC, ECF
- The Digital Shift Toward Inclusive, Low-Carbon Mobility, organised by UN-Habitat, UNEP, Walk21 Foundation, ITDP, Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, ICLEI, Asociación Sustentar Argentina, ACCESS project, Strength-M project
Ahead of COP30, PATH published the report “Walking + Cycling in the New Generation of NDCs – A Global Stocktake of Active Travel actions in the new Nationally Determined Contributions”. The report presents the analysis of the seventy-one (71) NDCs submitted until 31 October 2025, accounting for 36% of global emissions. The report evaluates the integration of walking and cycling into the NDCs, from recognition to actionable commitment. The findings provide a crucial snapshot of current ambition levels and reveal the extent to which active mobility is leveraged for climate goals, and benefits to public health, urban equity, and sustainable development.
The PATH Coalition has also published an open letter calling on national governments to make walking and cycling central to climate commitments. Policymakers are urged to follow PATH’s Active Travel Policy Template (2025) for a comprehensive step-by-step guide to creating an effective policy. Over 240 organisations from more than 55 countries have signed PATH’s call to action to date.
PATH contributes to new COP30 Plan to Accelerate Solutions for Sustainable Urban Mobility
The COP30 Plan to Accelerate Solutions (PAS) for Sustainable Urban Mobility has been released by the UN High-Level Climate Champions, outlining a global effort to scale up public transport, rail and active mobility as essential pathways for reducing emissions and improving urban resilience. The Plan builds on the Avoid & Shift 2030 Breakthrough launched at COP29 last year in Baku, and supports countries in strengthening the transport components of their NDCs ahead of the second Global Stocktake.
PATH is contributing to this work through the ‘Scaling up public and sustainable transport in cities (Avoid & Shift Breakthrough)’ group, alongside ECF, Walk21, UN Environment Programme, and the FIA Foundation. Together, the group works to accelerate “avoid” and “shift” solutions that prioritise walking, cycling, rail and public transport. Below are five Actions that form part of the PAS; these coordinated actions aim to accelerate the shift towards cleaner, healthier and more resilient transport systems—while supporting governments and cities to raise ambition on walking, cycling and sustainable public transport.
- Action 1: Advance the Avoid & Shift Breakthrough: Partner with selected cities and countries, identified through NDC3.0 reviews, to accelerate Avoid and Shift strategies. The program will promote NDC best practices and provide targeted capacity-building support based on mode-specific NDC templates and guidelines.
- Action 3: Enable Sustainable Transport Investments: Develop technical report translating Article 6.2 and 6.4 standards into actionable guidance for governments, financial institutions, and sustainable transport organisations, helping enhance access to climate finance, de-risk transport investments, and improve the bankability of rail, public transport, and active mobility.
- Action 4: Strengthen Public & Political Support: Global awareness raising to promote health, wellbeing, and cost-saving benefits of walking and integrating with public transport.
- Action 5: Support NDC Ambition: Support regional commissions to develop transport NDC templates (based on mode-specific NDC guidance), enabling technical assistance and capacity-building for countries to scale up rail, public transport and active mobility solutions in transport NDCs in order to advance Avoid Shift pathways.
- Action 6: Foster Global Peer Learning: Showcase innovations, foster knowledge exchange, partnerships and strengthen collaboration among national and local governments, development partners, and industry.
New Declaration for Low-Emissions Transport launched by the Government of Chile, endorsed by eleven countries
On 14 November 2025, the Government of Chile, through the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT), launched a declaration titled Towards Resilient And Low-Emissions Transport Systems For People, Development And The Planet. The declaration is endorsed by Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Slovenia, Norway, Spain and Portugal.
The initiative proposes reducing the transport sector’s energy demand by 25% by 2035, with one-third of that energy coming from renewable sources and sustainable biofuels.
The document recognises that passenger and freight transport systems are fundamental for economic development, social connectivity, and the security of global supply chains. It also emphasises that transitioning to more resilient transport networks is key for climate adaptation, particularly in countries most vulnerable to its impacts. The proposed global effort is intended to be achieved by 2035, in line with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) assessment and the implementation of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport regarding transport decarbonisation.
The growing recognition of the role of cycling and active mobility in the decarbonisation of transport and improving people’s health and lives are encouraging signs for the future. ECF, Walk21 and the PATH coalition stand ready to support governments in making and implementing commitments that will enable many more people to walk and cycle safely around the world.
