Initiative in Brazil’s second largest city leverages $10m commitment by the Climate Pledge to accelerate deployment of zero-tailpipe-emission electric trucks.
The Climate Pledge, in collaboration with C40 Cities, has launched the Laneshift initiative for zero-tailpipe-emission freight vehicles in Rio de Janeiro.
In Rio, the road transport sector is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), accounting for 36 per cent of the total. To reduce GHGs, Rio’s local authorities, including the Municipal Department of Transport and the Traffic Engineering Company (CET-Rio), are working in collaboration with C40 Cities and inviting transport logistic companies to focus on reducing emissions in the city’s Low Emission District. This central freight hub in downtown Rio accounts for nearly half of transportation GHG emissions in the city.
EV freight transition solutions
Laneshift-Rio de Janeiro is expected to accelerate the implementation of EV freight transition solutions in Rio’s Low Emission District by engaging with OEMs, shippers, carriers, financiers and tech providers to address common challenges and provide innovative solutions that send demand signals and unlock effective policies, incentives, and business models that can be replicated and scaled across the region.
“The city of Rio de Janeiro has emerged as a key player on the global climate agenda, notably through events like the 1992 Earth Summit and Rio+20. We are thrilled to affirm our commitment through Laneshift,” said Lucas Padilha, secretary of civil affairs in Rio de Janeiro.
“The Laneshift Initiative is a cornerstone of our efforts to slash emissions from freight transport. By partnering with Laneshift and adopting electric vehicles, Rio will diminish its reliance on fossil fuels, enhancing the city’s energy security and reducing vulnerability to oil price fluctuations.”
Padilha continued: “The benefits extend far beyond financial gains. With the decarbonisation of freight, Rio anticipates profound environmental, social, and health impacts, notably through improved air quality – helping to ensure a more sustainable and thriving future for Rio de Janeiro and its residents.”
According to C40, with Laneshift’s Curitiba launch in 2023, and now Rio, Brazilian cities are proving their commitment to prioritise and cultivate environmental stewardship in rapidly urbanising communities ahead of major 2024 events, such as the Group of Twenty (G20) and the Urban 20 (U20) where investment in sustainability solutions will be top of mind for global leaders.
Laneshift is also incorporating learnings from Climate Pledge signatories into Rio’s freight electrification goals and progressing on increasing business opportunities in other Latin American cities, such as Mexico City, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Bogotá and Medellin in Colombia.
“Laneshift represents our bold response to the fossil fuel emissions crisis, aiming to implement successful zero-tailpipe-emission freight business models that will transform the city’s quality of life while seizing economic opportunities,” said Gabriel Tenenbaum, C40 Cities Latin America director of implementation.
“By partnering with city leadership and other stakeholders, C40 and the Climate Pledge are actively driving change in Rio’s Low Emission District. We are ready for businesses and financiers to join us in taking steps towards Laneshift’s regional goal to rapidly increase the supply of zero tailpipe emission freight and the infrastructure it takes to support this transition.”
Laneshift is a partnership to abate carbon emissions from road freight, which accounted for more than 2.2 billion metric tons of CO2 in 2020 – reportedly, double the emissions from air, sea, and rail freight combined. The partnership will tackle carbon emissions through zero-emission freight by reimagining medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and their travel routes.
In partnership with cities, Laneshift aims to accelerate the development of EV infrastructure and the deployment of EV trucks across cities in Latin America (Bogotá and Medellin, Colombia; Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Quito, Ecuador; and Mexico City, Mexico) and India (Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune).
In 2019, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded the Climate Pledge, a commitment to reaching net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Now, the partners report, nearly 500 organisations have signed Climate Pledge, sending an important signal that there will be rapid growth in demand for products and services that help reduce carbon emissions.
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Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 11.06.2024
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