U.S., Canada announce joint effort to reduce rail-sector emissions

Canada Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and U. S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm this week announced a joint effort between the United States and Canada to reduce rail industry emissions, according to a news release.

"Recognizing the important role transportation plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the United States and Canada have created a Rail Decarbonization Task Force to develop a common vision to reduce emissions from the rail sector," the three government officials said in their joint statement.

The three said that together they intend to:

• establish a joint research agenda to test the safe integration of emerging technologies, including hydrogen-powered and battery-electric locomotives;
• coordinate strategies to accelerate the rail sector's transition from diesel-powered locomotives to zero-emission technologies to ensure a net-zero rail sector by no later than 2050; and
• collaborate on the development of a U.S.-Canada rail sector net-zero climate modal by 2025.