ECOSF Co-Hosts Panel on Decarbonizing Road Transport at COP29 in Baku

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November 20, 2024: At the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF), in partnership with the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), co-hosted a pivotal panel discussion titled "Decarbonizing Road Transport: Innovations and Policies for Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Technologies. "The event took place at the pavilion of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in collaboration with TÜBITAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye) and the Food Security and Agriculture Centre of Excellence (FACE) in Pakistan.

The panel addressed the urgent need to transform the transport sector—a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—by focusing on technological innovations, policy frameworks, and equitable adoption pathways for electric and hydrogen vehicle technologies.

Ambassador Dr. M. Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director of COMSATS, opened the session by highlighting the historical roots of climate change, citing pivotal moments such as the Industrial Revolution and advancements in transportation that have contributed to environmental degradation. He emphasized that decarbonizing road transport is not only a technological endeavor but also a socio-economic and health-related challenge.

Moderated by Dr. Fahman from ICESCO, the panel included the technical session distinguished experts:

• Gizem Çakmak, Chief Researcher at TÜBITAK
• Khalid Salmi, Sustainable Energy Management Expert at the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
• Khalil Raza, Programs Manager - Energy and Climate at ECOSF

The panelists explored critical topics, including:

• The role of regulatory frameworks in reducing GHG emissions from the transport sector
• Financial mechanisms to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in developing countries
• The potential of green hydrogen as a transformative energy source

Eng. Salmi highlighted the economic potential of green hydrogen production in Africa, particularly in countries like Morocco and Namibia, and stressed the importance of developing domestic technologies to maintain competitiveness. Dr. Çakmak addressed persistent barriers to the adoption of EV and hydrogen technologies, including infrastructure gaps, high costs, and limited technical expertise. Eng. Raza called for robust policy frameworks and capacity-building initiatives to facilitate the transition to sustainable transport.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Seyed Komail Tayebi, President ECOSF, emphasized that many developing nations lack the technological and financial resources to produce EVs locally, making them reliant on costly imports. He stated, "Collaboration between governments, international organizations, and private stakeholders is essential to overcome these challenges." He also added that at the ECO Science Foundation, we are fully committed to promoting EVs, supporting ECO Member Countries through technical advisory, and driving impactful initiatives that build sustainable future.