Unlocking Carbon Emission Reduction Potential in Brazilian Grain Transportation

Abstract Energy performance and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions are crucial aspects of transport systems planning. Freight transportation is responsible for around 20% of global emissions. A large amount of cargo is transported by trucks over long-distance routes. In Brazil (the fifth-largest country globally and the largest in Latin America), this transportation mode has the highest emission in the transport industry. This paper aims to develop an exploratory analysis of impacting actions and policies to reduce emissions in Brazilian most frequent freight transportation cargo and quantitatively measure the impacts. The results reveal that the policies and actions have the potential to cut 30% of the yearly emissions in 2029, i.e., avoiding the emission of roughly five million tons of CO 2 per year. Also, they could promote expressive economic gains. The identified best practices can be replicated in global contexts with land transportation over long-distance routes, significantly contributing to reducing climate change.