5 JUNE 2026
More than 400 representatives from across the transport ecosystem gathered at the Sustainable Transport Forum – Next Mile Paris to discuss how to accelerate the shift to sustainable transport.
When Scania hosted the global Sustainable Transport Forum in Paris a decade ago, much of the debate centred on whether low-emission transport solutions could work at scale. Today, that question has largely been answered.
While the transition to sustainable transport is a global challenge, progress ultimately depends on action in local markets. Discussions in Paris therefore focused on what France, and Europe more broadly, must do to accelerate deployment and create the conditions for large-scale adoption
Transport operators and buyers, policymakers, public authorities, industry leaders and other stakeholders agreed that many of the solutions needed to reduce emissions already exist. The priority now is expanding infrastructure, increasing investment and creating the conditions needed for wider adoption.
Climate scientist Valérie Masson-Delmotte captured that shift:
“The R&D effort has been made. The possibility of deployment is there. Now the whole issue is scaling up.”
She added that the challenge is to make decarbonised freight transport the norm within the next decade.
Several speakers also highlighted that sustainable transport is increasingly linked to competitiveness, industrial resilience and energy security.
The panel debate focused on scaling sustainable transport solutions through collaboration and local action.
While participants agreed that progress must accelerate, there was also recognition that the transition is already underway in some markets, particularly China.
Timur Gül, Chief Energy Technology Officer of the International Energy Agency, pointed to the rapid growth of electrification globally. He highlighted China as an example, where battery-electric truck adoption has accelerated rapidly in recent years, demonstrating how quickly markets can evolve when the right conditions are in place.
Across discussions, participants repeatedly returned to the same themes: clearer direction, greater predictability, stronger collaboration and faster implementation.
A recurring message from transport operators was that the transition must be not only sustainable, but viable. Participants highlighted the importance of long-term policy certainty, greater harmonisation of incentives, infrastructure planning and energy systems, and a more coordinated European approach to support investment and maintain competitiveness.
At the same time, participants repeatedly stressed that no single stakeholder can drive the transition alone. Creating the conditions for scale will require closer collaboration across the value chain, bringing together policymakers, infrastructure providers, vehicle manufacturers, transport buyers, transport operators and financial institutions.
The focus on implementation was also reflected in discussions on infrastructure and policy measures. Claude Renard from France's Directorate General for Energy and Climate, highlighted measures already introduced to support the transition, including incentives for the purchase of battery-electric vehicles. He also described how France has established a national master plan for charging infrastructure along major road corridors, aimed at enabling long-distance electric freight transport and supporting large-scale deployment.
Climate scientist Valérie Masson-Delmotte shared her perspective on accelerating the transition from innovation to large-scale deployment.
Despite growing alignment around what is needed, many participants expressed frustration that deployment is not happening fast enough.
Christian Levin, President and CEO of Scania, captured that sentiment:
“We are ready. But without collaboration between the different sectors, the transition will not happen. Up until today, it happens far too slowly. And this is starting to become a problem.”
A striking feature of the discussions was the degree of alignment across stakeholder groups. While perspectives differed on the pace and specific pathways forward, participants broadly agreed on the direction of travel and the need for closer collaboration across the value chain.
Ten years ago, the debate focused on whether low-emission transport solutions could work at scale. In Paris this year, the conversation had moved on.
The discussions reflected a sector that is moving beyond ambition and pilot projects towards broader implementation. The focus has shifted from proving that sustainable transport is possible to creating the conditions that make it the norm.
The question is no longer whether sustainable transport can work. The focus now is on scaling solutions fast enough to deliver the transition.
