Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies in Road Freight Transport in Mexico

It is estimated that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road freight transport in Mexico during 2010 were about 37MtCO2 (Carbon Dioxide Mega Tones), which represents about 24% of national transport emissions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address mitigation actions for this sector. To that end, this study proposes and analyzes different mitigation strategies, which include improving vehicle technologies, implementing ecodriving techniques, promoting the use of highways, increasing intermodal transport, reactivating the rail system and building beltways for both freight trucks and rail. The “bottom-up” methodology presented in this study was used to forecast the emissions of the road freight sector from 2010 to 2050. The obtained model was also used to calculate the mitigation potential for the proposed mitigation strategies. A maximum cumulative reduction of more than 380 MtCO2 by 2050 might be reached if all the strategies are applied simultaneously. However, in order to determine a more realistic plan of action, a multi-criteria analysis was performed with a panel of experts. As a result, the technological and operational improvements, the use of highways and the construction of beltways for trucks were considered the measures with higher priority. If those measures are applied in parallel, a potential reduction of 340 MtCO2 may be obtained by 2050. Finally, a “Measurement, Reporting and Verification” mechanism was determined and the main actors involved in that process were identified. In conclusion, freight transport in Mexico contributes highly to GHG emissions and relatively simple actions such as the implementation of new technologies and ecodriving techniques might bring important reduction of GHG emissions in Mexico. However, other complex strategies, such as beltways construction and reactivation of the rail system must be also taken into consideration as part of a National Development Strategy.