Towards a decent transport for all: The transport dimension of decent living standards for just transitions to net-zero carbon emission

Towards a decent transport for all: The transport dimension of decent living standards for just transitions to net-zero carbon emission Just transitions to net-zero carbon emissionGlobal climate change is a major challenge to the sustainable development of human society.Carbon dioxide emitted by human activities is a major contributor to global climate change.With the acceleration of urbanization in many regions, the intensity of human activities and the demand for transportation continue to increase.In recent years, the diverse impacts of transport-related energy consumption and CO 2 emissions but also noise, air pollution, congestion and land-use, have gradually received the attention of society.The transport sector has become the second-largest CO 2 emitter, after electricity and heat producers (ahead of industrial and residential sectors).In 2021, the transport sector accounted for 23% of CO 2 emissions among all industries worldwide.Taking China as an example, from 1990 to 2021, CO 2 emissions from the transport sector in China increased from 94,152 Mt to 969,447 Mt, a 10-fold increase ( IEA, 2023 ).In recent years, the concept of just transition has received sustained global attention in achieving climate goals ( McCauley and Heffron, 2018 ;Zimm et al., 2024 ).It advocates for diverse justice concerns for the whole of society in the transitions to net-zero carbon emission.At its core, the just transition is about maximizing social and economic benefits without leaving anyone behind in climate action.For example, climate change and mitigation policies can have various impacts on different populations, with the poorest often disproportionately being affected.The just transition is to put "people " at the core of the transition to develop principles, tools and agreements.We need to capture the "just " process for all individuals and communities, including diverse population groups, generations and countries when societies move towards net-zero carbon emission.Such a just model of transition is necessary for sustainable development and acknowledges that diverse approaches will outperform "one-size-fits-all " solutions.