The Maldives will be part of the Global
E-Mobility Program initiated at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) by the
Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The program was launched to help 17
developing countries initiate the use of electric vehicles on a large scale
with the aim to improve air quality and reduce dependence on fossil fuels with
a budget of 33 million US dollars. The Global E-Mobility Program is the first
coordinated global effort to promote and accelerate the spread of e-mobility in
developing countries.
The program is not about concrete sales
promotion, such as premiums, tax rebates or similar measures, but is designed
to help governments develop strategies to promote access to finance for private
and commercial customers, private sector involvement and technology transfer.
Three regional platforms are to be created one each for Africa, Asia/Pacific
and Latin America/Caribbean. The program will support the introduction of
electric bus fleets, two-wheelers, tricycles, trucks, light commercial vehicles
and private vehicles.
To implement these strategies, the project
has access to additional funds beyond GEF funding. According to the GEF press
release, the E-Mobility Program can co-finance "more than $400 million from the
European Commission, the Asian Development Bank and several other national
institutions, international financial and philanthropic organisations and the
private sector".
"Globally there will be twice as many
vehicles on the road by 2050 with nearly all of the projected growth taking
place in developing countries, where air pollution is already a major challenge
in many cities," said Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Programme Director. "We see
tremendous benefit from governments opting to phase-out internal combustion engines,
both in terms of lower emissions and improved quality of life," the GEF
Programme Director explained.
The first group participating countries
includes one European country, Ukraine. Otherwise, GEF is working with Antigua
and Barbuda, Armenia, Burundi, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,
Madagascar, Maldives, Peru, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St Lucia, Togo and
Uzbekistan as part of the Global E-Mobility Program.
Timur Gül, Head of the Energy Technology
Policy Division at the IEA revealed that "According to the IEAs Global EV
Outlook 2019, emerging economies could account for around 60% of the worlds
electric vehicle fleet by 2030." He explained, "We, therefore, welcome this new
global electric mobility program that builds on existing platforms like the
Clean Energy Ministerials Electric Vehicle Initiative and brings together
different stakeholders to share best practices based on evidence and analysis."
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will
implement the program in partnership with the International Energy Agency (IEA)
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