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How is the world faring in the race to net zero? Find out which nations are scoring high marks and what milestones we need to reach to make our roads carbon-free.

Germany’s biggest auto show has new exhibitors--and they’re the two-wheeled kind. The IAA Mobility Show in Munich showcased electric vehicles from Porsche and Volkswagen alongside cycling and micromobility manufacturers.

"Climate-friendly engines, the digital connectivity of transport--that's what this fair is about," Hildegard Müller, president of industry association VDA, which organizes the bi-annual show, shared at a pre-event press conference. "The goal of climate protection is guiding us."

It’s a clear sign that sustainable transport is making headway--and that’s good news for a world racing to meet net-zero targets by 2050. What changes must we make in transportation to make our roads carbon-free?

The environmental impact of your ride

The transportation sector is one of the fastest-growing sources of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It has increased by 71% since 1990 and accounts for around one-fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions.

The race to net zero

Getting from point A to B without being mindful of our carbon footprint has put our one Earth in peril. More than 100 countries have committed to carbon neutrality, but only fourteen countries have passed legislation on carbon-neutral targets.

Let’s take a closer look at the policies and targets of the top three greenhouse gas emitters: the European Union, the United States, and China.

While net-zero pledges are growing, setting a goal is only the first step. The real challenge is to take concrete steps to achieve that goal, transforming intention into action. 

The tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan and Suriname in South America are the only two countries that have not only achieved carbon neutrality but are actually carbon negative. 

The path to carbon-free roads

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Net Zero by 2050 can be achieved--but only if we commit to “a total transformation of the energy systems that underpin our economies.”

The report, entitled Net Zero by 2050: a Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector, is the world’s first comprehensive study of how to shift to a net-zero energy system. Presenting more than 400 milestones--spanning the electricity, industry, transport, and building sector--the report identifies what needs to happen and when for the global sector to reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

In the transport sector, transitioning from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles is crucial to reaching net zero. Here are the global milestones that must be achieved for our roads to be carbon-free by 2050:

We are all on this net-zero journey together. This could be the best or worst part about it. If every citizen, manufacturer, and policymaker commits to making our world carbon-free, it will be a triumphant victory for humanity. 

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