The future of mobility: Movin’On 2020

While Covid-19 has forced the world's leading sustainable mobility event to become digital, the challenges it seeks to tackle are important than ever. Here's why.

4 min

Movin’On is a one-of-a-kind community: for four years, leaders, thinkers and actors in sustainable mobility have gathered to discuss and shape the future of clean transport. With one-quarter of the world’s CO2 emissions coming from the transport of people and goods – and despite Covid-19 – clean transport remains one of the most pressing challenges the world faces today.

While this year’s annual summit in Montreal will move from an in-person experience to a digital one, Movin’On Digital Meetings will continue to drive the global discussion. The themes in 2020 will be “Communities of Interest” on 3 June and the Startup Challenge on 4 June.

For the fourth consecutive year, BNP Paribas is an official partner at Movin’On, alongside the main sponsor, Michelin. 

What is the purpose of Movin’On?

At a time of energy transition towards low-carbon economies, the transport sector faces unprecedented challenges. Through collaboration and innovation, Movin’On seeks to bridge the gap between concerns expressed by policymakers and public opinion, and the automotive ecosystem.

One of its aims is to bring together the best minds and the best ideas around future technologies, usage, business models and concepts for the mobility of tomorrow. It was born out of a dual belief that:

  • Disruptive innovation – positive change – can only happen from partnership and collaboration
  • Automotive mobility must find solutions to four major challenges: becoming multimodal, green, inclusive and connected.



Movin’On Digital Meetings 2020: the agenda

Movin’On Digital Meetings will take place on 3 and 4 June, 2020.


On 3 June, the agenda includes several working sessions with Movin’On Communities of Interest focusing on:

  • Improving multimodal mobility, with the cities of Boston, Lyon and Montreal: as the management of urban space tends to combine new modes of transport, improving mobility data management – and therefore territory management – is a key challenge for cities. Representatives of the three cities will share their experience and feedback on this vital topic for the development of sustainable urbanism.
  • Designing new global transport efficiency, with the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA), Calstart & EV100: zero-emission freight vehicles (ZEFVs) are key to mitigating climate change and urban air pollution, and driving forward technological innovation. This working session will focus on what is blocking ZEFV from becoming the norm, and possible solutions to designing new global transport efficiency. 
  • Reshaping last mile delivery operations, with Accenture: this session aims to discuss one question – how to collectively reshape last mile delivery operations and experience?
  • Combatting global warming and air pollution, with BNP Paribas: global energy efficiency is key to mitigating climate change and improving air quality – how to scale and accelerate energy efficiency adoption and reinvest gains in energy transition? Constance Chalchat, Head of Company Engagement at BNP Paribas CIB, will lead this session. 
  • Designing new global transport efficiency, with Michelin and the Alberta Motor Transport Association (ATMA): thanks to use cases in Canada, this session will look at ways to create the conditions necessary for the adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell heavy goods vehicles. 

Want to learn more? Register at the official event website.

On 4 June 2020, the grand finale of the Movin’On Startup Challenge will take place in an interactive, entertaining format. The 10 most promising startups will pitch their innovative solutions for the future of mobility. To see the pitches and vote, sign up here.

Energy efficiency: the key to mitigating climate change

What is the most effective way to mitigate climate change? According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency will be the largest contributor towards reducing the carbon emissions by 2050, with a contribution of about 40%, closely followed by renewable energy adoption.


CO2 emissions reductions by measure in the Sustainable Development Scenario relative to the Stated Policies Scenario, 2010-2050
Source: IEA


Energy efficiency also means a reduction in energy bills – and therefore business opportunities: savings amounted to over €280 billion in the European Union in 2015. On the other hand, the energy transition requires investments of around $600 billion per year. Reinvesting the amounts saved by energy efficiency into energy transition will be a key pillar to inclusive and sustainable growth.


Reinvesting the amounts saved by energy efficiency into energy transition will be a key pillar to inclusive and sustainable growth.


For banks, it is an opportunity to embed their purpose in providing financial support for the transition to low-carbon economies by giving clients what they need to move forward on their sustainability journey, and by being the bridge between corporate and investor needs.

Because collaborative work is key to achieving this goal, at Movin’On 2020, BNP Paribas will launch a new community of interest on energy efficiency: creating a virtuous circle from the acceleration of energy efficiency adoption to reinvestment in the energy transition. This will only be achieved by mobilising resources into the ecosystem – from the key corporate players to innovative start-ups. Want to know more? Register here

Environmental Finance Awards 2020 named BNP Paribas Lead Manager of the Year for Corporate Green Bonds and Loan Structurer/Arranger/Coordinator of the Year.