Gender bias in transport needs to be addressed to meet climate targets, says new ITF report

A lack of gender diversity in its workforce and leadership is undermining the transport sector’s net zero carbon targets, warns a new report by the International Transport Forum (ITF), supported by the FIA Foundation.

The study examines the linkages between gender equality, transport and climate change to better understand the development of policies that can achieve both gender equality and decarbonising transport goals by 2050.

Drawing on in-depth one-on-one interviews with individuals from four ITF member countries and two ITF Corporate Partnership Board members, the report provides guiding principles with specific actions to help countries and companies align their gender equality and decarbonising transport goals, and also identifies examples of existing good practice.

The report has identified that a consistent approach to incorporating a gender dimension into decarbonising transport policies for users and improving the gender balance in the transport workforce would have a significant impact. It sets out four groups of ‘guiding principles’:

• Capacity building, knowledge management and communication
• Gender balance, participation and women’s leadership
• Implementation
• Monitoring and reporting.

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Specific actions accompany each principle for countries and companies to improve gender equality and decarbonising transport measures simultaneously.

Sheila Watson, Deputy Director of the FIA Foundation, said: “This report highlights the clear message that unless there is meaningful gender representation throughout the transport sector, in employment, planning systems and disaggregated data, then our transport systems will fail us all.”

Young Tae Kim, ITF Secretary-General, said: “We cannot address climate change without decarbonising transport. And we cannot make our mobility sustainable without addressing the gender imbalance in how we design and use transport. This report with FIA Foundation brings a pragmatic understanding of how ITF members and the industry have improved their gender equality. Their experience paves the way for others to adapt and develop. Under my instruction, we analyse all our work at ITF to ensure the most inclusive approach and result possible.”