The Netherlands & CALSTART’s Drive to Zero to lead effort
A further momentum was given to the call for global ZE-MHDV at the 12th meeting of the Clean Energy Ministerial on 31 May, 2021, Austria, Canada, Chile, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have signed already a zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle Memorandum of Understanding (ZE-MHDV MoU), which was co-led by the Netherlands and CALSTART. This important work was initiated by TDA Chair and Minister for the Environment of the Netherlands, Stientje van Veldhoven, with the launch of the wider process at En Route to COP26 in December 2020.
‘This is an important step. Zero-emission freight is a crucial step in a cost-efficient pathway to achieving our climate goals,’ remarked Minister van Veldhoven. ‘Trucks account for only two per cent of the vehicles on the road. Yet they are responsible for 22 per cent of the road transport CO2 emissions in the EU. If you take into account the lifetime of trucks, you just need to stop adding new fossil fuel vehicles around 2040 if you want to be carbon neutral in 2050.’
“The current e-commerce boom threatens to put our collective Paris Agreement ambitions out of reach,” said Dr. Cristiano Façanha, Global Director of the Drive to Zero program and campaign (Drive to ZeroTM) at CALSTART. “A global ZE-MHDV MoU would not only help nations achieve ambitious climate and air quality goals, it would also drive new investment and good-paying manufacturing jobs while improving energy security and independence for leading edge nations.”
Freight emissions are on the rise, and there is growing momentum to bolster commitments on zero-emission freight and commercial vehicles. The Global MoU align leading nations around ambitious ZE-MHDV targets, and support commitments to zero-emission vehicles being put forward by fleets and manufacturers. The MoU calls for a floor target of 30% new MHDVs being zero emission by 2030, and 100% by 2040-2050, while encouraging nations to be more ambitious.
The main objective of the MoU is to accelerate the ZE-MHDV market, which will not only advance technology innovation and generate clean technology jobs, but also improve energy security, deliver tangible climate benefits, lower air pollution and deliver associated health benefits. The Global MOU send strong and consistent signals to industry and other governments, strengthen future country climate commitments ahead of COP26, and lay the foundation for strong policies, pivotal framework conditions and incentives in key markets.
This is wonderful news since zero-emission freight is a crucial step in a cost-efficient pathway to achieving Paris Agreement goals, as well as drive investment and good-paying jobs.
Our sincere congratulations to the Netherlands and CALSTART for co-leading this effort and giving the Global MoU further momentum.
Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and
Heavy-Duty Vehicles
The signatories to this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”, in their collective ambition to accelerate zero-emission medium- and heavy duty vehicles (ZE-MHDVs), recognizing that:
- Transport is a large and fast growing source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally, and that MHDVs are a large source of transport sector GHG emissions;
- Current MHDVs are a major source of local air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and toxic air emissions, and that these pollutants negatively impact urban air quality and human health, disproportionally affecting disadvantaged communities located near freight corridors, ports and distribution centers;
- ZE-MHDVs offer a viable pathway to decarbonize the road transport sector as technology has advanced greatly over the last decade and can deliver its full potential through aligned global ambition, enabling implementation action, and market incentives;
- ZE-MHDVs are essential to reducing transport emissions, mitigating climate change, improving air quality, reducing the use of fossil fuels and energy costs;
- Commercial deployment of ZE-MHDVs remains limited, and further advancements in the state of technology and deployment stand to benefit from global collaboration and coordination, which can also result in accelerated private sector investment in the ZE-MHDV sector;
- Investments in ZE-MHDVs could help to stimulate economic growth by creating new jobs in the zero-emission vehicle and charging/fueling equipment manufacturing, supply chain, energy and service sectors;
- It is strategically important to decarbonize MHDVs and urgently begin the adoption of ZE-MHDVs given long fleet turn-over times;
- Clean mobility solutions aspire to improve public health and work toward meeting our shared climate goals by providing clean, reliable, safe, and affordable mobility solutions to everyone; and
- The adoption of ZE-MDHVs might require different approaches and enabling conditions in different parts of the world.
Have reached the following understanding:
1. OVERALL AMBITION
The Participants intend to work together to identify viable pathways and supportive implementation action for deployment of ZE-MHDVs and related infrastructure that enable ZE-MHDVs to reach 30% of sales of new MHDVs by 2030, as well as enable a full transition to ZE-MHDVs in new fleets by 2040 to facilitate achievement of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Participants are invited to publicly share a higher ambition when signing this MOU where applicable.
2. MOU IMPLEMENTATION
2.1 The Participants plan to meet annually to discuss progress and share experiences to accelerate the deployment of ZE-MDHVs.
2.2 The Participants intend to share plans with current and potential actions to support the ambitions described in Section 1 of this MOU, and to share MHDV registration data annually, within available capabilities.
2.3 The Participants plan to participate in the Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero program and campaign of the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Electric Vehicle Initiative, which serves as a forum for coordination, collaboration and information sharing on ZE-MHDVs. Through their participation in the Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero forum, the Participants intend to facilitate the development of plans and consolidate Participants’ annually reported MHDV registration data to understand progress made and discuss ways to accelerate progress where needed.
3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
3.1 This MOU becomes effective for each Participant upon its signature.
3.2 This MOU is not an international agreement and does not create any legally binding rights or obligations between or among the Participants. In addition, implementation of the ambitions stated in this MOU is within the discretion of each Participant and is not conditioned upon reciprocal actions by other Participants.
3.3 Each Participant intends to conduct any cooperative activities under this MOU in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and policies to which it is subject.
3.4 The Participants may discontinue participation in this MOU at any time by providing six months advance written notice to the other Participants.
3.5 This MOU may be modified by mutual written decision of all Participants.
3.6 Additional Participants may join this MOU after its announcement at COP26.
Finalized and open for signature by each Participant on the 5 th of October of 2021, in the English language.
Signed by:
The Netherlands