Empowering Mobility through Electric Urban Solutions (EMERGE)

Country: Armenia
City: Yerevan

Key Stakeholders and PartnersYerevan Municipality, ADB

CDIA SupportUS$ 1,200,000

Expected Downstream FinancingAsian Development Bank

Infrastructure sectorsUrban Transport

CDIA priority impact areasClimate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Environmental Improvement; Good Governance

Key Development Issues

Most city residents in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, rely on public transportation. However, private car usage has increased in recent years, and the underinvestment in the public transport system over the past 30 years has led to the deterioration of the transport infrastructure. Some of the transport fleet has been modernized, but most remain old and subject to withdrawal in the coming years. Air pollution is also a key problem for Yerevan, as transport emissions account for 90% of air pollutants in the area.

Leveraging insights from the CDIA-supported project preparation study in 2022, the Empowering Mobility through Electric Urban Solutions (EMERGE) project aims to improve urban mobility in Armenia, supporting the development of climate-resilient and low-emission urban transportation systems. The project is included in the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s indicative lending pipeline for Armenia, including possible co-financing by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Details of Cooperation

This project will prepare: (i) prefeasibility assessments for public transport system and urban mobility improvements, including e-buses and non-motorized transport and other climate resilience measures; (ii) public transport service plan; (iii) traffic management and parking management plan; (iv) conceptual design of project interventions; (v) public transport business, institutional, and financial structure; and (vi) due diligence for ADB’s consideration of project financing, including environmental and social safeguards, poverty, social and gender assessments, economic and financial analysis, climate change assessment, financial management, and procurement.

Expected Development Outcomes

The project is expected to help Yerevan Municipality improve public transport services and non-motorized transport facilities, increase accessibility, and reduce the population’s dependence on private vehicles, contributing to reduced traffic congestion and GHG emissions.