World Bank Group put forward the concept of SuM4All at UN Climate Action Summit in May 2016, with the view that it would be refined and substantiated further over time by the international transport community

The idea for this initiative was based on the lack of a standalone SDG for transport, the fragmented nature of the transport sector with various actors and the perceived need for an umbrella framework.

The initiative consists of four elements: (1) a commonly agreed vision for sustainable mobility, which is articulated around four global objectives (see below); (2) a global tracking framework (GTF) to measure progress towards these objectives; (3) a global program of actions; and (4) a global governance structure to support the implementation of the first three components.

The initiative stands for a mobility of goods and people that is:

1. Equitable: Ensuring that transport is connecting people and communities to jobs, schools and health care and in the delivery of goods and services to rural and urban areas, thus providing all with equal opportunities and leaving no one behind.
2. Efficient: Ensuring that the increased demand for mobility is met at the least possible cost for society. This includes road, rail, maritime, ferry and air transport, as well as non-motorized transport, such as cycling and walking.
3. Safe: Reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities from transportation mishaps across all modes of transport.
4. Green: Lowering the environmental footprint of the transport sector to combat climate change and pollution.