The Council of Leaders, an initiative of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), presented the project developed within the theme of sustainable mobility to the Ministry of Transport. The project had already been taken this year to the Ministries of Finance and the Environment, in a high-level meeting in Brasília, in which the then minister Joaquim Levy and minister Izabella Teixeira participated.
This time, the meeting with the Ministry of Transport, of a more technical nature, was attended by representatives from Siemens, Alcoa, Syngenta and Vestas, and served to present the study developed with a focus on cargo transportation via the electrified railway network, a low-carbon solution with a strong impact on increasing efficiency in cargo logistics and, consequently, on the country's competitiveness in various sectors.
According to Monica Guerra da Rocha, advisor to the CEBDS Institutional Management, the Ministry of Transport was receptive to the prospect of developing this study jointly, seeking to develop public policies that focus on sustainability and improving the effectiveness of cargo transport. , reconciling improved mobility and sustainability.
During the meeting, several issues associated with cargo transportation were raised, such as the potential for reducing emissions through the transfer of the road modal to the electrified rail modal in the transport matrix, the potential for an increase in the volume of cargo transported by opting for wagons aluminum and the impact that the logistics sector has on the country as a whole, with a strong focus on food transport.
It is estimated that 10% of the final price of grains that reach consumers' tables, for example, are represented by transport costs, due to ineffective logistics. Transport costs significantly affect the economy as a whole, impacting not only companies but the country's competitiveness. The Council of Leaders presents itself as a space for dialogue between the public and private sectors, in which intersectoral proposals that support sustainable development can be leveraged.
Proposal would reduce transport emissions
The study on mobility that is being developed within the scope of the Council of Leaders presents the advantages and impacts expected from the expansion of the electrified railway mode, especially for freight transport. The electrification of railways, especially due to mix favorable energy source from Brazil, would generate much lower specific greenhouse gas emissions when compared to diesel. The use of aluminum in the structure of trains would also be part of the solution because it would reduce the weight of the vehicles and contribute to saving energy and emissions. This change has the potential to reduce emissions from the cargo transport area by 93%, considering projections until 2050.
