Batumi, Georgia
Closing Batumi’s Sustainable Urban Transport Gaps
40% REDUCTION OF AIR POLLUTANT EMISSIONS
Inhabitants 169,100 GDP per capita $3,852 Geographic area 200 km²
THE CHALLENGE Batumi’s transport sector is responsible for 49% of the city’s GHG emissions, compared to other sectors like buildings, street lighting, municipal solid waste, etc. This is largely due to the outdated semiformal minivans that act as public transport.
Amid a rising population, expanded city boundaries, and a flourishing tourism industry, the Green Cities: Integrated Sustainable Transport for the City of Batumi and the Ajara Region (ISTBAR) project seeks to decouple growth from increased carbon emissions in Georgia’s second-largest city. The Green Cities: ISTBAR project promotes sustainable urban transport solutions and supports related policy making at the city, regional, and national levels. Together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Batumi city authorities are implementing the project in the absence of national strategies and policies. The project is pioneering the study and modeling of local transport demand and emissions, developing comprehensive plans, and piloting solutions based on these to ultimately reduce GHG emissions. The $1.1 million Global Environmental Facility-funded project has created solutions including dedicated bus lanes, renovation and expansion of bike lanes, implementation of low-emissions buses and e-taxis, reorganization of bus networks and establishment of passenger transfer terminals, all pilots for which have been finalized in early 2020. Successful pilots will then be scaled up in Batumi and across other cities in Georgia.
Co-benefits Health The project is expected to contribute to improved air quality through a 40% reduction in vehicle pollutant emissions. Social Improving public transport by making them safer and giving them priority over private cars will contribute to better mobility options for women, who are more likely to use public transport than men.
Low-carbon transport. The Green Cities: ISTBAR project aims to promote public transport and reduce emissions from the transport sector in Batumi (photo by UNDP in Georgia).
40 100 CLIMATE ACTIONS FROM CITIES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
