Industry project outlines vision for CO2-neutral transport

A Swedish industry group has outlined its long-term vision to make future goods transportation entirely CO2-neutral. The commendable project is being undertaken by Volvo Trucks together with the Centre for Environment and Sustainability (GMV), Preem Petroleum AB (the largest oil company in Sweden), Schenker (one of the world's leading providers of integrated logistics services) and Vägverket (the Swedish Road Administration).

The group’s members have drawn up guidelines for what needs to be done to achieve this goal and is encouraging more participants from within both industry and society to take part in the process.

The initiative for reducing carbon dioxide on Swedish roads is outlined in a report entitled ‘Climate neutral goods transports on their way’. The pathways set out in the document include the obvious need to lower trucks’ fuel consumption and produce and distribute fuel in a more efficient way as well replacing fossil fuels with greener alternatives. The need to promote the use of smarter logistics and investment in fuel efficient driving is also highlighted

The concrete steps to be taken by members of the group include Vägverket increasing the demands for fuel efficient driving on all those aiming to take their driving licence from 2008, the replacement of crude oil with biomass at the refining stage and an investigation into an increase in length of load carriers the current 25.25 meters.

In the medium term the group aims to garner support from industry, society and research institutes to halve the climate impact of the sector by 2020 (compared with 2005 levels) and eventually realize its long-term vision of carbon dioxide-neutral goods transportation.