Digitalising urban mobility for cleaner, smarter and more inclusive cities
Brazil is advancing policies and digital solutions that support low-carbon mobility. The ACCESS project is enabling more inclusive public transport and evidence-based transport planning. In Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, new tools for mobility data, public transport information, active mobility monitoring and low-emission zones are being developed and tested to transform the transport landscape.
A highly urbanised country accelerating clean mobility
Transport is Brazil's largest source of energy-related emissions, accounting for 52.3% of the national total. Brazil has already established important policy foundations, including the National Urban Mobility Policy (PNMU), The Brazilian Charter for Smart Cities and the National Climate Plan 2024–2035. ACCESS builds on these efforts by helping national and municipal partners use digital tools, data and evidence to accelerate low-carbon mobility.
Using digitalisation to improve how people and goods move
ACCESS in Brazil connects national policy support with practical implementation in Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. In Rio de Janeiro, activities focus on public transport information and management, climate resilience, prevention of gender-based violence and harassment in public transport, low-emission-zone monitoring and digital origin-destination research. In Belo Horizonte, ACCESS supports active mobility monitoring, mobile bicycle counters, first- and last-mile bicycle integration, cycle logistics, and digital origin-destination research.
Implement and evaluate pilot projects on transport digitalization in the cities of Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, aiming to reduce GHG emissions and use its results to inform national transport digitalisation strategies.
Support the design of local policies for transport digitalization and decarbonization in the cities of Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, aiming to reduce GHG emissions and use its results to inform national transport digitalisation strategies.
Support the design of national policies aiming to reduce GHG emissions, provide guidance and capacity building, improve monitoring and evaluation, and raise investments for transport digitalization and decarbonization in Brazilian cities.
Supporting scale-up and replication in other cities and countries while contributing lessons to the ACCESS regional network.
Rio de Janeiro
Strengthen monitoring of movements by developing an algorithm to count pedestrians and cyclists using existing cameras in the Low Emission Zone. Also improving management and information systems for public transport users, with a focus on extreme weather events.
Visit Rio de Janeiro city page →Belo Horizonte
Strengthen monitoring of movements by developing an algorithm to count pedestrians and cyclists using existing cameras in the Low Emission Zone.
Visit Belo Horizonte city page →Who makes ACCESS possible
ITDP
Consortium partners Overall project coordination and leadership in Brazil. Working with city authorities on pilot implementation and providing technical assistance to the national government.
UNDP
Consortium partners Leading the Digital Readiness Assessment
UNEP
Consortium partners Overall project lead
Explore the ACCESS countries
Argentina
Develop, test, and assess digital solutions for improving urban logistics operations and for supporting evidence-based transport planning.
Explore Argentina →Colombia
Developing digital tools to monitor freight and public transport, using data on vehicle performance, emissions and travel patterns.
Explore Colombia →Ecuador
Transport optimisation and air-quality modelling; a digital tool for low-emission cross-docking and last-mile logistics; multimodal public transport integration.
Explore Ecuador →Mexico
Public transport digital monitoring and GTFS, and micromobility/bike-sharing operations and safety.
Explore Mexico →Peru
Strengthen capabilities in the transport sector, particularly for data collection, real-time monitoring and analysis.
Explore Peru →