Energising transport and mobility in China
Project description
Title: Sino-German dialogue on the promotion of a mobility and fuel strategy in China
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI)
Country: People’s Republic of China
Overall term: 2015 to 2016
Context
There are already 120 million private vehicles on China’s roads and another 35,000 new vehicles are registered every day. The transport sector will continue to grow in the coming years, further exacerbating the country’s energy and environment problems.
As new drive technologies and climate-friendly fuels emerge, the interdependency of the transport and energy sectors is growing. Future developments in the Chinese transport sector will not only have an impact on national sustainable development, it will also have international implications.
Currently, there is no systematic approach in China to guide the development of its transport sector. Shortfalls in appropriate data and a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of different ministries with respect to transport, energy, and fuel related issues are impeding the development of a national strategy.
A Sino-German dialogue is addressing this issue by exploring options for a mobility and fuels strategy in China. As the first project to be carried out by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), this draws on Germany’s internationally recognised Mobility and Fuels Strategy (MFS).
The German MFS is an initial effort by the German Government to help achieve the targets for the transport sector set out in its own Energy Concept. It assesses the growing links between the energy and transport sectors resulting from diversified fuels and drive technologies. The MFS provides a comprehensive overview of technologies as well as energy and fuel options for various modes of transport up until 2050.
A key success factor for the development of the German MFS was its extensive participatory process, which involved more than 300 policymakers, business people, academics, and civil society actors in numerous events and specialists forums. These experiences and expertise are now being made available to the Chinese authorities and first steps are being taken in the development of a Chinese mobility and fuels strategy with German support.
Objective
With German support, the Chinese Government has begun to develop a mobility and fuels strategy, for which Germany’s own such strategy serves as a model.
Approach
A translation of the German MFS into Chinese has enabled the project to communicate clearly the purpose of a mobility and fuel strategy, as well as the underlying motivation. The translation also makes it easier to explain the methodological and technical approach of the German MFS as well as its results and recommendations for action.
Interviews with Chinese experts from relevant ministries, research institutions, and governmental advisory centres provide useful information for an analysis and evaluation of China’s starting point with regard to the development of a mobility and fuels strategy. The project holds workshops to facilitate exchanges between experts in various fields from the two countries. These serve as a forum to clarify details and recommend actions for the development of a Chinese strategy.
Building on the expert workshops, the policy forum Energising Mobility and Transport in China brings policymakers from Germany and China together – an integral part in developing a roadmap to achieve a mobility and fuels strategy in China.