SUSTAINABILITY / SECTOR LENSES
Transport & Mobility
Fleet electrification, aviation SAF mandates, shipping decarbonisation, and urban mobility — a sector undergoing the most visible infrastructure transformation of any.
In brief
Transport is the largest single source of UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions. The decarbonisation pathway is clear in direction but complex in execution: road transport moves to EVs, aviation moves to SAF and eventually hydrogen, shipping moves to ammonia and methanol, and urban mobility shifts toward active travel and public transport. For organisations that operate fleets, book business travel, or move goods, the emissions and the obligations are material.
Transport also connects to the built environment and cities lens: urban mobility infrastructure — roads, cycle lanes, EV charging, public transit — is planned and delivered by local authorities and is a key part of municipal net zero strategies.
We are building out our Transport & Mobility coverage. If your organisation operates in this sector and would like to discuss the framework landscape, we would be glad to hear from you.
The framework landscape
Requires 22% of new car sales and 10% of new van sales to be zero emission from 2024, rising to 100% for cars by 2035 and vans by 2035. Applies to manufacturers, not fleet operators, but shapes the vehicle market fleet operators are buying into.
ICAO scheme requiring airlines to offset carbon growth in international aviation above 2019 levels. Phased implementation; full mandatory phase from 2027. Airlines purchase verified carbon credits for covered emissions. Phase 1 demand is estimated at around 78 Mt against roughly 31 Mt of eligible supply, pointing to a structural shortage of high-integrity credits as the scheme bites (figures are estimates). Offset quality and volume remain active debates.
International Maritime Organization strategy: 50% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050 vs 2008 baseline; net zero by 2050 aspirationally. Fuel EU Maritime and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings create near-term operational pressure on shipping companies from 2023.
UK requires 10% SAF blend in aviation fuel by 2030, rising to 22% by 2040 and 10% by 2050 (different types). EU ReFuelEU Aviation has similar trajectory. SAF production capacity is currently the binding constraint; demand will exceed supply as mandates take effect.
Corporate commitment to transition company car and van fleets to electric by 2030. Over 110 companies committed. Relevant for organisations with significant owned or leased fleet. Connects to Scope 1 emissions reduction from company vehicles.
Category 6: business travel (flights, rail, hotel). Category 9: downstream transportation and distribution. Category 11: use of sold products (for vehicle manufacturers, the largest Scope 3 category by far, the emissions generated when customers use the vehicles sold).
Proposed on 2 June 2026: a 535 MtCO2e cap for 2038 to 2042 (roughly an 87% cut on 1990 levels), with Parliamentary approval expected by 30 June. Transport is the largest single source of UK domestic emissions, so the budget sets the pace the sector must decarbonise at.
Entry points by sub-sector
Corporate fleet operators
Scope 1 from company vehicles. SECR reporting if large enough. EV100 commitment and fleet electrification plan. The transition timeline is determined by vehicle replacement cycles — operators who do not plan now will be locked into combustion vehicles past 2030.
Corporate travel managers
Scope 3 Category 6 (business travel) measurement using flight data, rail data, and hotel night estimates. Reduction targets focused on flights (the highest-carbon component). SAF procurement options are limited but growing.
Shipping and logistics companies
Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings are already in effect and affect vessel ratings. Fuel switching options (LNG, methanol, ammonia) require multi-year capital planning. CORSIA affects airlines operating international routes from 2027.
Built Environment
Cities and urban planning — the infrastructure context for transport and mobility decisions
Energy & Utilities
Grid decarbonisation and EV charging infrastructure — closely linked to transport transition
All sector lenses
All eight sector lenses — find your way in