The annual Summit of the International Transport Forum is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the premier global transport policy event.
Every May, ministers with responsibility for transport, business leaders, heads of international organisations, parliamentarians and policymakers, representatives of business associations and leading researchers meet for three days in Leipzig, Germany, to discuss the future of transport through the prism of a strategic topic.
Summit participation has grown to over 1200 participants from more than 80 countries, well beyond the 66 member countries of the ITF. It increasingly attracts business participants, with CEOs joining high-level discussions and companies presenting their work in the Summit exhibition or sponsoring the event. The annual meeting of the ITF Corporate Partnership Board is held as part of the Summit
The 2024 ITF Summit on Greening Transport: Keeping Focus in Times of Crisis will take place from 22 to 24 May in Leipzig, Germany, under the Presidency of Lithuania, with Chile and Azerbaijan as first and second Vice Presidents, respectively.
The 2024 Summit will examine the transport sector’s role in environmental sustainability, and assess the impacts of climate, health and geopolitical crises in this context. With transport responsible for 30% of global CO2 emissions and climate change leading to extreme weather events, the urgency for carbon emission reduction is pivotal. The Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts have disrupted the transport sector and supply chains, contributing to an energy crisis and environmental challenges. Decision makers are urged to maintain a long-term policy focus amid these crises, leveraging opportunities like cleaner and automated vehicles and digital innovation to promote a greener and more resilient transport sector. Simultaneously, evaluating the environmental risks associated with increased digitalisation is increasingly crucial.