Climate change impacts and mitigation : reducing CO2 emissions from the freight transport sector : lessons for Mexico from the UK experience and future policy

Abstract

The United Kingdom and Mexico have established goals to reduce CO2 emissions. With the publication of the Climate Change act in 2008 Britain acknowledges that is technologically ready to implement changes to bring important reductions of CO2 emissions. Mexico included Climate Change abatement in its 2007 development program. UK aims to achieve a reduction of 80% and Mexico a reduction of 50% in their CO2 emissions by the year 2050. To achieve these reductions both countries face the challenge of improving activities such as better use of fuels, for example natural gas for energy production or diesel used in road freight transport vehicles. Freight transport currently accounts 25% of global carbon emissions; with road freight as the fastest growing sector for both countries. The use of biofuels or clean energy powered vehicles is far from a 100% implementation in the fleet. Because of this improving the fuel efficiency in the current operation signifies an opportunity to reduce emissions. The United Kingdom is ahead in legislation through taxation, market incentives and research to encourage reductions from freight transport. Mexico is in its way to the creation of a Climate Change Law. This dissertation aims to determine which lessons Mexico can learn from the United Kingdom in its improvement of freight transport sector in two levels. The Macro level looks at legislation and private sector initiatives, and the Micro level simulating 11 scenarios using real data from operation of a food manufacturer provided by the StarFish Project. The scenarios simulate the implementation of a series of best practice recommendations to reduce emissions and improve operation. The results evidence that at a Macro level Mexico can implement legislation mechanisms to stimulate the reduction of CO2 emissions in the transport sector. At a Micro level the simulations show that even for developed countries like the United Kingdom there is a big potential to reduce carbon emissions from the freight transport sector. The outcome of the dissertation is that learn from experiences from other countries applies not only for Mexico and other developing countries but for every country aiming to improve the reduction of CO2 emissions.