Achieving a sustainable zero-emission freight transport economy by 2050 requires cohesive action now. Road freight is the primary CO2 emitter of global trade-related transport, with an emissions share projected to grow from 53% to 56% by 2050.1 This trajectory is far from Paris-compatible, despite positive technology momentum. Accelerating investment in assets and infrastructure to ensure a zero-emission future requires enabling policy, financing and adoption at scale within this decade. 

The World Economic Forum’s Road Freight Zero (RFZ) initiative, established in September 2020, engages industry leaders across the value chain who endorse the need for collaboration to accelerate the transition to a zero-emission transport future. This includes demand- and supply-side actors, such as leading manufacturers, consumer goods giants, logistics majors, fleet operators, energy, tech and infrastructure firms, innovators, finance companies, academia and civil society.

While decarbonization of transportation has made great strides in many parts of the world – with zero-emission cars, buses, light commercial vehicles and various forms of micro-mobility – progress has been slow for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. As governments launch ambitious climate goals, such as the European Union’s “Fit for 55” package, whose objective is to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030, companies and policy-makers are recognizing that major reductions will be needed across all forms of transport.