The transportation sector in Latin America is still largely based on fossil fuels and responsible for 35 percent of the continent’s carbon emissions. Greening public transportation systems is an issue predominantly for a few wealthier cities. But many remain highly inefficient, insecure and in the hands of powerful transportation mafia-like groups, which make them a difficult subject for reform. Yet the main hurdle for developing a sustainable transportation concept in many Latin American countries is the disconnect between national and municipal policies on transportation and energy policy. Rebecca Bertram reports Why is this important? Because Latin America is experiencing a boom in urbanization, and transportation policy has therefore taken on a more prominent – and competitive – place in municipal politics. However, national policies, such as tax incentives on electric vehicles or meeting the growing electricity demand for the electric fleet, form transportation policy across the continent and thereby set the stage in which municipal policy can operate. Both national and municipal policies need therefore to be implemented together. According to the United Nations, Latin … Continue reading Clean mobility lags behind in Latin America