As economic growth and industrialization accelerate and livelihoods and incomes improve, so the demand for mobility increases. However, in much of the developing world, demand for mobility solutions to drive economic growth continues to outpace supply, while the growing number of vehicles and other mobility solutions has not been matched by the necessary improvements in infrastructure.

Business is stepping up efforts to understand and address the sustainable mobility issues being faced by developing economies. The WBCSD's “Mobility for Development” workstream, embedded in the work program of the Development Focus Area, aims to raise awareness in the following three areas:

* The importance of mobility as a driver for economic development
* The need to narrow the mobility opportunity divide
* The need for sustainable mobility solutions for rapidly growing cities in the developing world

The work builds on the WBCSD Mobility 2030 report that was published in 2004, which defined sustainable mobility as: “The ability to meet the needs of society to move freely, gain access, communicate, trade and establish relationships without sacrificing other essential human or ecological values today or in the future.”