Ministers from 50 countries to discuss future of transport worldwide

Transport ministers from some 50 countries, as well as policy makers and industry representatives, are expected to attend the International Transport Forum (ITF) in the German city of Leipzig starting on Wednesday to discuss the future of transport, reported dpa.

Transport must be made more sustainable, British Transport Minister Mark Harper said at the opening of the summit. Britain presides over this year's forum.

Harper said that the question was not whether transport had to be made more sustainable, but how quickly emissions could be reduced.

Germany's Transport Minister Volker Wissing is also expected to attend the summit.

Industry experts will discuss current issues and challenges facing the transport sector.

The secretary general of the International Transport Forum, Young Tae Kim from South Korea, said the focus is not only on a sustainable future but also on making greener mobility options accessible for all.

"We need to do more and we need to do it now," Kim said of developing sustainable options for the future.

Discussions will also be held with the goal to continue talks at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai at the end of 2023.

During the ITF summit, panel discussions and lectures are planned until May 26 with a focus on goals that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

The countries that signed the Paris Climate Agreement committed to keeping global warming well below two degrees compared to pre-industrial levels, but if possible to limit it to 1.5 degrees.