From a global perspective, transport was the sector with the second-largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2015 after the energy industry. At the same time, GHG emissions from transport increased massively. This special issue, co-edited by M-Five colleagues, describes strategies and transport policies that lead to more climate protection in transport. These include e-mobility on the roads, preference for non-motorised means of transport in urban areas and the introduction of global emissions trading systems for air and sea transport.