CAUTION NEEDED ON CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY FOR HEAVY TRANSPORT

Nick Leggett, CEO of the Road Transport Forum, has congratulated the Climate Change Commission for holding to its clarity and purpose in its draft report that was released at the beginning of February.

However, he warns that for the heavy transport industry things aren’t that clear. “Our industry cannot accept the development of policy on a wing and a prayer. We can’t proceed into a future where the technology that powers our vehicles is imagined, rather than real. Policy should be about the possible, not the probable and frankly, too much is unknown about the kinds of future energy that will power heavy vehicles.

“I was pleased the commission acknowledged that the vast majority of the freight task will remain on the road. Road currently has 93% of the freight task in New Zealand because it meets the challenges of our particular market,” said Leggett.

The path the commission has recommended includes a modal shift of freight from road to rail and coastal shipping. “However, their assumptions are that around only 4% of freight tonne kilometres can switch by 2030. That is a far more realistic position than what we hear from many political commentators and anti-road lobbyists.

“I was also impressed with the commission’s acknowledgement that in the push for the decarbonisation of transport, medium and heavy trucks will be slower to electrify than our light vehicle fleet. Commissioners obviously recognise that current battery technology does not provide the range to deal with longhaul road transport.

“The commission accepts that they can’t predict what the eventual solution for powering heavy transport will be. That won’t stop some others though, and we must guard against people who think they can lock in a solution for us so far in advance,” commented Leggett.

“Our focus must be high level; a focus on reducing our emissions as a country and as a world – net zero by 2050.

“The means to the end we seek have not totally revealed themselves for the heavy transport industry. We must assist road transport businesses to be more sustainable and efficient.”

Leggett says the RTF will comment soon on its submission to the commission’s report.

“This is an ongoing discussion that will require operator and wider industry input indefinitely, so it’s important everyone starts considering their businesses’ part in the decarbonisation path,” he said.