Context:
The Government of India has decided to add a new “Sustainable Transport” mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) — the first such inclusion in over a decade.
Scope of the Sustainable Transport Mission
- Will include all transport modes:
- Roads
- Railways
- Ports
- Shipping
- Civil Aviation
- Aim: Align with international standards (where available) and reduce emissions, especially from road transport.
Sectoral Emission Landscape
- Transport contributes ~10% of India’s GHG emissions.
- Road transport alone accounts for 87–90% of emissions within the transport sector.
- Responsible for ~one-third of urban air pollution.
Key Challenges & Priorities
1. Lack of International Roadmap for Road Sector
- No globally agreed net-zero roadmap for roads.
- Government must frame a domestic strategy including:
- Bharat VII emission norms (aligned with Euro VII)
- Alternative fuels and EV promotion
2. Railway Freight Optimization
- 73% of freight traffic moves by road.
- Shifting to railways requires fixing structural inefficiencies in the rail freight system.
3 Charging Infrastructure Deficit
- India has 1 public charging point per 135 EVs vs. global average of 1 per 6–20 EVs.
- Target: 30% EV penetration by 2030.
- Required infrastructure: ~3.9 million public charging stations (from current 12,000).
Power Source Paradox
- Most current charging stations are fossil-fuel powered, undermining EV benefits.
- Solution: Power EV charging with renewable energy.
- Adds complexity and infrastructure demand, but essential for true emissions reduction.
