MONTREAL — Canadian National has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, becoming the first North American railroad to do so by joining the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and United Nations Race to Zero campaigns.
“CN’s pledge to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 further builds upon our commitment to short-, medium- and long-term targets, robust and transparent climate change disclosures, and our goal to continue to lead our sector in the transition to a low-carbon economy,” CEO JJ Ruest said in a press release. “… We will continue to decarbonize our operations and, in turn, will enable our customers to reduce their transportation supply chain emissions and support their and our growth in sustainable products and markets.”
The Business Ambition for 1.5°C program by the Science Based Targets initiative seeks to limit temperature rise through climate change to 1.5° Celcius. More on the program, including companies that have signed on, is available at this website.
SBTi has previously approved CN’s commitment to reduce scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 43% per million gross ton-miles to reduce scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 40% per million gross-ton by 2030, based on a 2019 base year. As part of its environmental efforts, the railroad has a recently announced plans to purchase its first battery-electric locomotive [see “CN to purchase Wabtec battery-electric locomotive,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 4, 2021] and to initiate a renewable fuels program [see “CN, Progress Rail to work together …,” News Wire, Nov. 3, 2021].
“Sustainability is at the heart of how we conduct our business every day and defines our contribution to building a more sustainable future,” said Janet Drysdale, CN’s vice president, sustainability. “CN recognizes the importance of collaborating with suppliers, governments, supply chain partners, academics, and cleantech providers in achieving an effective transition to net-zero emissions by 2050.”
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