Transport | WWF South Africa

	© Unknown


The transport of people and goods in South Africa is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, making the transport sector the second-highest contributor to the country’s greenhouse gas (’carbon’) emissions after the energy sector. Given that transport accounts for about 13% of our emissions, finding ways to reduce emissions from transport would go a long way to towards solving our emissions challenge.
WWF-SA’s Transport Low Carbon Frameworks programme is a response to this understanding. Following implementation of government policy that will require economic sectors to develop sector-specific carbon emission reduction targets, WWF-SA is engaging with stakeholders to identify a possible transport sector carbon budget, and evaluate initiatives to cut emissions. We work with government, business and organised labour in freight and in passenger sectors.

A three-pronged approach to reducing transport emissions provides a useful framework: Reduce, shift and improve. Reducing the need to move people and goods would go a long way towards avoiding emissions. This could be achieved by shortening the length of global and domestic supply chains and encouraging localisation. Localisation includes growing food and goods closer to where you buy it, decentralised transport hubs, branch lines and local manufacturing. Changing the way we use and plan land would contribute to cities where people can accomplish more while travelling less. Shifting the nature of transport would also reduce emissions. Private passengers could shift to public transport, air travel to high-speed rail, and road freight to rail, sea and waterways. Finally, improved fuel and vehicle technologies as well as energy efficient electric vehicles, powered by renewable energy, would support reduced emissions from the sector.

The A to B Challenge: CT's First Low Carbon Race

The A to B Challenge builds on WWF’s concept of a low-carbon challenge that entailed teams competing to travel from the central city to Langa using any form of low-carbon transport.

Earth Hour City Challenge 2014-15

Earth Hour Capital Challenge:
Teams navigated this year's National Earth Hour Capital, City of Tshwane, using public transport and competing for the lowest carbon footprint.
	© WWF Nedbank
    WWF-SA's Low Carbon Frameworks Transport work is funded by the WWF Nedbank Green Trust


  • Louise Naudé
    WWF-SA: National Climate Change Officer
    +27 21 657 6600