Minister Gloria Hutt emphasizes Chile’s commitment to electromobility at the OECD’s Annual Summit of transport ministers
The annual meeting of the International Transport Forum (ITF), attended by representatives from 63 countries, was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Chilean Transport and Telecommunications Minister Gloria Hutt participated in the ministerial plenary session at the annual meeting of the International Transport Forum (ITF), an inter-governmental organization with 63 member States that operates under the coordination of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This year, ministers from different countries shared their experiences and the lessons learned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transport systems, as well as the transport sector’s impact on climate change.
The Annual Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF), held virtually on this occasion, is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and its leading platform for dialogue on transport policy.
This year, Minister Gloria Hutt highlighted the work that Chile has carried out to improve transportation, emphasizing the country’s commitment to electromobility, as well as initiatives that promote shared modes of transport and enhance environmental protections.
“We talked about the future of sustainable, resilient and accessible transport. Chile has pledged to make 100% of its urban public buses electric by 2040 and 100% of its taxis by 2050. That environmental commitment is part of Chile’s Nationally Determined Contributions and falls in line with our commitments to the Paris Accord and to Sustainable Development Goals,” Minister Hutt commented.
She added, “the incorporation of more electric vehicles into Chile’s fleet helps to meet our energy efficiency and transition goals and, as a result, will mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases. These vehicles will improve the quality of life of their users, because they reduce external factors, such as air and noise pollution.”
The Transport and Telecommunications Ministry (MTT) is promoting several electromobility initiatives for different modes of transport, such as buses and taxis, and is continuing to expand the Metro subway system and railway network. The MTT also intends to expand the use of electric buses outside of Santiago, adding to the 776 that are already on the roads of the capital. On this point, Minister Hutt announced this week that Arica would be Chile’s first city with a fully electric public transport system that meets the MTT’s Red standard.
In further news, the Ministry is discussing the introduction of electro-corridors for electric buses in Antofagasta, Greater Concepción and Temuco.