One of the key concerns of the 21st century is the threat posed by climate change. The OECD is helping Member countries address this threat through the assessment of appropriate energy, sustainable transport and other sector policies, that also integrate local and social objectives. We also contribute analytical work to international fora, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

OECD work has addressed the relationship between transport and the environment, initially focusing on air pollution, noise and fuel use from motor vehicles. More recently, consideration was given to system approaches, integrating work on climate change, sustainable consumption, and sectoral policy integration notably within the "Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST)" initiative.