Ecuador has become one of the countries with the highest per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the region. According to the 2019 national GHG inventory, the transportation sector accounted for 50% of these emissions, with an annual growth trend of 7%.

The massive use of private vehicles is also worsening congestion, traffic accidents, and air pollution in the country’s cities. This makes Ecuador one of the countries in the region with the highest per capita road traffic fatality rate. Lastly, key actors driving sustainable mobility in the country still lack sufficient capacities to implement the new National Policy on Sustainable Urban Mobility.

In this context, the MoVer Cities project, part of the Global Gateway and Team Europe initiatives: A Green Deal for Ecuador, financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), seeks to address the following challenges:

The project’s objective is to strengthen the implementation of low-emission sustainable urban mobility in intermediate cities in Ecuador as a contribution to environmental protection and improving the quality of life of its citizens.

Expected Results:

1. 180 women and 120 men from municipal GADs, public, and private institutions nationwide have benefited from continuous training on sustainable urban mobility.
2. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 11.5 kilotons (kt) of CO2eq annually, related to transportation in the 4 supported cities (Ibarra, Loja, Riobamba, and Rumiñahui).
3. Three new sustainable urban mobility projects in intermediate cities, with a total volume of EUR 30 million, have been incorporated into the evaluation processes by financial institutions.
4. Eight measures for reducing GHG emissions and protecting the environment (including 2 supported by digital solutions and 2 with a gender focus) within the framework of consolidated mobility planning will be implemented in 4 intermediate cities, providing added value for users.
5. Four portfolios of sustainable mobility projects with a total investment volume of EUR 40 million will be integrated into mobility planning in the 4 supported intermediate cities.