FEATURE
LOOKING TO THE HORIZON
Our cities are less polluted during the COVID-19 outbreak, but freight emissions are rising. Einride talks about fighting a cleaner fight
D
aily carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 17% in April, accounting for about 17 million tonnes less of CO2 every day. In fact, the European Union has seen total CO2 emissions decline by 20% from 1990 to 2016 as well. Taken at face value, one could be forgiven for thinking our global emissions levels are on the right track at the moment given the international agreements to curb greenhouse gas effects and the ongoing global pandemic. But these figures belie the underlying causes for concern, specifically in the area of 26
JULY-AUGUST 2020
road freight transport. During the same period in Europe, transport emissions increased by 27%, and today, freight equipment accounted for nearly half of the six sectors identified by the Energy Transition Commission as the most difficult to decarbonise. Trucks alone are the fastest-growing source of CO2 emissions worldwide, expected to contribute to a 15% increase in total global emissions by 2050, and accounting for nearly 7% of that total today. Transitioning to electric, as seen with passenger cars, comes with hurdles, both in implementation and in terms of cost. So what’s the solution for road freight transport? Simply put: electric
Electrification is the only way for road freight to reach emission reduction goals�
first, autonomous second. The only way to reverse the trend is through the widespread adoption of electric freight solutions, propelled by the implementation of autonomous transport systems and coordinated by an intelligent freight mobility platform that will make scaled adoption of electric freight transport exponentially more sustainable and cost-competitive. Amplified by a global respiratory virus outbreak, the dangers of current emissions in urban areas around the globe are becoming clear. Air pollution is already a risk factor for many illnesses, and is a factor in hospitalisations and deaths for these meconstructionnews.com
