The role of multi-level climate governance in urban transport politics

Abstract

Throughout the 20th century, the automobile industry developed based on the production of vehicles for private use, powered by fossil fuels. As a result, the transport sector is the one that uses the most energy in Brazil (32.5%) and the second most emitting greenhouse gases (GHG), reaching 13% of total national emissions. The main challenges in the transition to decarbonization in this segment are in Brazilian cities, where 84% of the population lives and whose road mode is predominant in the movement of people and goods. As a measure to adapt and mitigate climate impacts, local governments are investing in new mobility technologies, such as ride-sharing, biofuels and electric and autonomous vehicles. Althought the convergence between technological transition and climate policies is still diffuse and fragmented, requiring integrated and multi-level governance processes. To deepen the understanding of this scenario in the Brazilian context, this article plans to identify the main actors involved in the process of transition to sustainability in the Brazilian urban transportation sector based on a systematic review of the literature applied to the case study of urban passenger mobility in the megacity of São Paulo.