According to a specialized study, it is necessary to plant at least 170,000 trees per year to neutralize the carbon footprint of trucks in Argentina.
Studies by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) highlighted that road freight transport is a major energy consumer, particularly of fossil fuels, on which it exclusively relies for its operation. The consequence of this is that trucks alone account for 3% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) worldwide.
In Argentina, the participation of this type of transport is strongly dominant and reaches 93% of interurban cargo. It is estimated that the total fleet includes around 283,000 vehicles including trucks and tractor-trailers.
Considering an average emission of 1.02 kg of CO2 per kilometer and a range of 120,000 to 145,000 km traveled annually by a truck, each vehicle can emit a minimum of 122.4 tons of CO2 per year and a maximum of 147.9 tons, according to a measurement by Avancargo, an Argentine platform that connects cargo donors with carriers.
Environmental Impact of Freight Transport
The company has an automated calculation system for CO2 emissions in freight transport, allowing it to periodically develop the “Impact and Sustainability Study in Argentina’s Transport.” According to the latest edition of this study, which includes a survey among more than 300 transport companies of various sizes and locations, only 9% of companies keep track or report their GHG in any way.
This figure represents a decrease compared to the 15% reported in 2023 and 2022.
Regarding compensation, only 13% of respondents stated that they currently neutralize their carbon footprint, while 45% said they are interested in doing so. This represents a 20% increase in interest compared to the results from 2023.
A positive indicator was that 69% of respondents stated they are willing to report fuel efficiency data from their trips to measure their GHG. This represents an increase compared to the previous edition (64%).
Challenges and Opportunities in Education and Training
While the report reflects progress in terms of sustainability, it also reveals deficiencies in education and training: only 62% of surveyed transporters said they know what a carbon footprint is, with the caveat that when asked to define it, 16% of that 62% defined it incorrectly.
Currently, a little over a third of freight transport companies are feeling pressure from clients or even internally to reduce GHG. There has been a 4-percentage point increase over the past two years, with pressure particularly increasing among companies that own their fleet.
The pressure to neutralize the carbon footprint mainly comes from personal motivation or business necessity (97%). Although there is a growing pressure from clients (11% in 2024 vs 3% in 2022), the pressure from the government remains very low (3%).
Additionally, there are differences among cargo segments. Sectors such as agriculture (harvest and inputs), industry, mining, oil & gas, and construction are exerting more pressure on their transporters to reduce their GHG.
How the Argentine Logistics Industry Responds to the Sustainability Challenge
The analysis accompanying the study explains how the scale of operation, administrative responsibility, and access to resources influence the sustainability of each segment. It highlights that fleet owners with diversified fleets and logistics operators lead in adopting efficient practices, while employed drivers are a key segment influenced by their employers.
On the other hand, outsourced operators need to improve alignment with their suppliers to close efficiency management gaps.
It also indicates that there is greater awareness and efficiency among transporters operating long distances: those covering more than 10,000 km per month show greater knowledge of the footprint and willingness to adopt measures.
In intermediate operations, there is also a high willingness, according to the report. Ranges from 7,000 to 8,000 km per month show the highest willingness to invest in fuel efficiency, suggesting that green leasing programs would be very effective for this group.
Regarding environmental education, the study highlights that there is a greater need among transporters conducting short operations. Transporters covering less than 3,000 km show lower awareness and willingness to compensate, but their high willingness to report efficiency opens a door to promote more sustainable practices.
Conclusions and Opportunities
As a conclusion from the survey, Pablo Mendonça Paz, CMO of Avancargo, noted: “There is a very large opportunity for positive impact if tools and processes for measurement and compensation are made easier than they are now. The intention to compensate is transversal among transporters of all types and fleet sizes, but with a greater intention among those feeling some pressure from themselves or others to reduce carbon emissions.”
Do you already know our YouTube channel? Subscribe!
