Greening Freight: Pathways to Reducing GHG Emissions From Trucking

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector in Canada accounted for 173 megatonnes of CO₂ equivalent, or 24 per cent of the national total, in 2015. The sector was responsible for nearly half of the increase in GHG emissions in Canada between 1990 and 2015. During this same period, the share of transportation emissions from freight increased substantively, from 28 per cent in 1990 to 44 per cent in 2015. The proportional share of emissions from freight trucks compared with aviation, rail, and marine freight also increased during this time, while emissions from passenger travel declined.

Achieving meaningful reductions to Canada’s emission profile and reaching Canada’s GHG reduction targets requires a focus on freight, and on trucking in particular. Through a literature and policy document review, this report considers how advances in the technology and policy landscape could help meaningfully reduce emissions from freight transport.