UIC’s review of 44 National Adaptation Plans found transport referenced in 39 and rail explicitly included in 23, while UITP’s analysis indicates that around one-third include public transport measures aligned with the Avoid–Shift–Improve–Adapt framework.
UIC and UITP urge governments to move from recognition to implementation, with rail and public transport integrated into national adaptation policies, investment strategies and resilience objectives.
- UIC and UITP issued a joint call on 6 November 2026 for governments to place rail and public transport at the heart of National Adaptation Plans.
- Climate-related hazards cause an estimated US$15 billion in annual damage to transport systems, including more than US$8 billion in low- and middle-income countries, according to UIC and UITP.
- UIC’s review of 44 National Adaptation Plans found transport referenced in 39 and rail explicitly included in 23.
- UITP’s analysis indicates that around one-third of plans include public transport measures aligned with the Avoid–Shift–Improve–Adapt framework.
- Both analyses point to a gap between recognising transport’s vulnerability and establishing clear adaptation targets, indicators and dedicated financing.
- The call urges governments to integrate rail and public transport into national adaptation policies, investment strategies and resilience objectives.
As climate change increasingly disrupts transport networks worldwide, the International Union of Railways (UIC) and UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, are calling on governments to place rail, public transport and urban mobility at the heart of their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
Floods, extreme heat, storms, landslides, wildfires and sea-level rise are putting transport infrastructure, operations and services under growing pressure. Climate-related hazards already cause an estimated US$15 billion in annual damage to transport systems, including more than US$8 billion in low- and middle-income countries. Without stronger action, the transport sector could face infrastructure losses of up to 97.8% by 2050, according to the figures cited in the joint call to action.
Rail and public transport are not only infrastructure to be protected from climate change; they are essential services that can strengthen the resilience of communities, cities and economies. Modern, well-connected and coordinated transport networks provide high-capacity, multimodal mobility options that can help communities respond to disruptions and recover more effectively.
Yet their role in national climate adaptation planning remains insufficiently recognised. UITP’s analysis indicates that only around one-third of National Adaptation Plans include public transport measures aligned with the Avoid–Shift–Improve–Adapt framework. UIC’s review of 44 plans found that, while transport was referenced in 39, rail was explicitly included in only 23. Both analyses point to a gap between recognising transport’s vulnerability and establishing clear adaptation targets, indicators and dedicated financing.
Through their joint call to action, UIC and UITP urge governments to move from recognition to implementation, ensuring that rail and public transport are explicitly integrated into national adaptation policies, investment strategies and resilience objectives.
