The transportation sector was massively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; with more people working from home, ridership in public transportation increased dramatically and global emissions from transportation fell as a result of less people needing to commute. A transition to a low-carbon transportation sector is critical for countries to meet their NDC targets as they recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

This expert note provides a review of the pandemic’s impact on the transport sector, a rationale for economic recovery through transport, NDC-related measures captured in economic recovery discussions, and guidance for NDC and recovery alignment. While the guidance provided here does not encapsulate all potential links between economic recovery and NDC enhancement, it provides key thematic areas that governments may find most practical in shaping policies and finance packages.