Joint Statement by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands on Transportation and Climate Change

Secretary of Transportation of the United States of America, Pete Buttigieg and Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen met on April 21, 2021, to discuss areas of mutual interest, and to reinvigorate bilateral cooperation under the Memorandum of Cooperation on 'Transport Matters of Mutual Interest,' signed in 2016, to fight climate change and limit the environmental impacts from transportation networks-on land, sea and in the air.

Building on the excellent co-operation established over the years by the technical agencies and officials on both sides, we intend to continue to cooperate on enhancing safety and security and promoting sustainable and smart mobility. We will work together to accelerate policy actions that help respective transport sectors grapple effectively with climate challenges through strategies that increase resilience and adaptation. A healthy environment and economy support the goal of both countries to 'build back better' from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reaffirming that our two countries are Parties to the Paris Agreement, and as a follow up to the Netherlands global Climate Adaptation Summit of January 2021 and the US Leaders Summit on Climate of April 2021, we look forward to collaborating on climate action in transport in areas such as resilience and adaptation, electrification, alternative fuels, including bio-derived and hydrogen-derived fuels, and technological advancements for greater efficiency. This includes cooperation in:

• Identifying new climate-related innovations, such as electric vehicles, connected and automated vehicles, incentivizing electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and smart mobility technologies;
• Exploring climate-friendly best practices in urban transportation planning, including encouraging the use of public transport combined with low-emissions mobility options such as walking and cycling;
• Advancing ways to increase our adaptation and resiliency to climate change.

On aviation, we are committed to bilateral cooperation to tackle the climate impacts of aviation. Elements of this cooperation include working together on a shared vision toward reducing the sector's emissions in a manner consistent with the goal of net zero emissions for our economies by 2050, and on robust standards that integrate climate protection and safety. We intend to advance the development and deployment of high integrity sustainable aviation fuels and other clean technologies that meet rigorous international standards, building on existing partnerships, and pursuing policies that increase the supply and demand of sustainable aviation fuels.

We are committed to partnering in key international forums, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

• In ICAO, among other actions, we will engage in processes to advance a new long-term emission reduction goal in line with our vision for decarbonizing the aviation sector, and continue to participate in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), with the aim of contributing to the Paris Agreement temperature goal.
• At the IMO, to reduce emissions from ships, we plan to work towards at least achieving the ambition reflected in the Initial IMO Strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships to halve emissions from international shipping by 2050 compared to 2008 levels, and to strengthen the levels of ambition in the context of its upcoming revision, with the aim of contributing to the Paris Agreement temperature goal.

We are committed to continuing and strengthening our technical and policy collaboration, both through our technical agencies and at the ministerial level to strengthen our cooperation, learn from best practices and set the priorities where and when necessary.