Changing global dynamics and emerging climate action imperatives are placing the Mediterranean region in the midst of a complex landscape, characterised by significant challenges and strategic opportunities for the transport sector.

As a means to explore the parameters that impact the sustainability and competitiveness of the transport sector in the Western Mediterranean Region, the IEMed and the CETMO commissioned a second policy study under the working plan of the Group of Transport Ministers of the Western Mediterranean (GTMO 5+5) Maltese presidency. Untitled: “Infrastructures, Energy and Digitalisation: Pillars for the Sustainable Development of Transport in the Western Mediterranean”, this publication, released in the framework of the MedThink 5+5, provides a thorough analysis of how the sector can develop its competitiveness and achieve climate goals.

In the publication, seven articles are dedicated to different modes of transport and transversal issues that are key to the development of a resilient transport system. Overall, they expose the opportunities that decarbonisation, digital technology, and resilient infrastructures offer for the transition to a more competitive and sustainable region. Their authors highlight political recommendations for policymakers in the region to seize the opportunities presented by the geopolitical context, climate action, and digital transformation.

Download here the Policy Study 8

Also download the previous Policy Study 7 (2023), which analysed the trends and opportunities of trade, maritime transport, and sustainability in the region.

Contents:

Mark Furness– The EU’s Global Gateway and China’s Belt and Road: Two Strategies and Two Realities for the Southern Mediterranean

Jordi Selfa– The Resilience and Adaptation of Transport to Climate Change in the Mediterranean

Sassi Hammami– The Potential of Railway Freight Transport in the Maghreb

Pier Paolo Raimondi and Michel Noussan– Convergence Among Transport and Energy Sectors in the West Mediterranean Countries

Alessandro Panaro & Anna Arianna Buonfanti– The Role of Ports as Energy Hubs and their Impact on Mediterranean Maritime Countries

Marco Gorini & Valeria Burlando– Digitalisation of Freight Transport in the Mediterranean: Reflections on Use Cases’ Findings

Agustí Miró– Digital Reskilling and Upskilling, Unprecedented Scale, Impact, and Guiding Principles

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