ECOSF Contributes to Research Study on Decarbonizing the Road Transport Sector in the CAREC Region as Part of the Visiting Fellow Program at CAREC Institute, China

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On September 23, 2024, the CAREC Institute (CI) headquarters in Urumqi hosted Mr. Khalil Raza, Program Manager - Energy & Climate at the ECO Science Foundation, as part of the 2024 Visiting Fellow Program (VFP). As a Visiting Scholar, Mr. Raza presented his research outcome titled “Decarbonizing Road Transport: Transitioning to Electric Mobility in the CAREC Region.” The session was attended by CI leadership and specialists, sparking engaging discussions on the pressing environmental and economic challenges of the region.

Dr. Hans Holzhacker, CI’s Chief Economist and Mr. Raza’s supervisor under the VFP, opened the session with brief remarks, emphasizing the importance of Mr. Raza’s research in guiding future strategies for sustainable transportation in the region. During his presentation, Mr. Raza examined global trends in electric mobility, with a particular focus on China’s leadership in the sector. He explored existing policy frameworks, incentives, and barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption across the CAREC economies.

Mr. Raza highlighted the notable progress made by several ECO and CAREC Member countries, crediting government-backed incentives, such as import duty and tax exemptions on EVs, as key drivers of adoption. He also underscored the importance of regional trade in EVs, with China playing a pivotal role, and called for greater collaboration on infrastructure development and policy alignment across the region. According to Mr. Raza, electric vehicles are crucial for reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing energy security in ECO and CAREC member countries.

The accelerated adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the ECO region carries several major policy implications. These include a reduction in fuel import bills, improved air quality in urban areas, and enhanced resource efficiency within transport systems and the overall economies of ECO Member Countries. For countries like Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where the carbon intensity of grid electricity is high, significant decarbonization of the grid will be necessary to fully realize the climate benefits of EV adoption. Transitioning to electric mobility also presents a key opportunity for economic diversification, especially for natural resource-rich nations such as Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan allowing them to pursue greener, more sustainable interventions.