PATH2ZERO hosts the first European National Stakeholder Forum
On 27 May 2026, PATH2ZERO held its first European National Stakeholder Forum (ENSF), bringing together national stakeholders from across Europe to exchange about their respective countries’ experiences, compare perspectives, and support the development of pathways towards net-zero transport.
The Forum is designed as a space for dialogue between national stakeholder communities. Drawing on the national-level discussions organised through PATH2ZERO’s National Stakeholder Groups, it extends the dialogue to the European level to facilitate collective learning, validate findings, and support the co-creation of transport decarbonisation pathways.
Connecting national experience across Europe
The forum opened with a discussion on what is already working well in different national contexts. Participants reflected on a wide range of measures, such as electric mobility and the availability of charging infrastructure, active mobility, school streets, affordability in public transport, and the advantages of having a monthly flat-rate, country-wide transit pass.
While experiences were diverse, several common themes emerged. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of long-term policy stability, well-designed incentives, accessible infrastructure, and measures that are not only technically effective, but also socially acceptable. The discussion further underlined that transport decarbonisation depends on more than technology and infrastructure alone: behaviour change, public awareness, and local implementation
From ambition to implementation
The next part of the meeting focused on road transport decarbonisation strategies. A comparative presentation by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid explored how different national approaches are advancing the transition across buses, light- and heavy-duty vehicles, paying attention to alternative fuels and zero-emission technologies.
The presentation highlighted one of the key challenges facing the transport sector: ambitious targets do not automatically translate into results. Strong policy commitments need to be matched with effective implementation, infrastructure deployment, fiscal and regulatory support, and citizens’ confidence in new technologies.
Linking insights with modelling
The meeting introduced PATH2ZERO’s modelling work by Transporti e Territorio and how stakeholder input can help strengthen future scenarios. The discussion focused on the project’s modelling framework, including the STraDyM model, which is being developed to estimate passenger and freight transport activity, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions over time.
By linking policy measures to drivers such as cost, accessibility, speed, availability, and safety, the model will help PATH2ZERO assess how different choices could influence future transport pathways.
Next steps for the ENSF
The first ENSF marked an important step in connecting national discussions across Europe and strengthening the role of stakeholder knowledge in PATH2ZERO’s work. The next Forum is expected to take place in autumn 2026.
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Authors: ICLEI Europe