Canadian National Railway Targets 43% Emissions Intensity Reduction by 2030

Canadian National Railway has committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 43% per gross ton miles by 2030 from a 2019 base year, alongside a 40% Scope 3 intensity reduction from fuel and energy activities. CN was the first Class I railroad and among the first 100 companies globally to set an approved science-based carbon emissions intensity target, doing so in 2017.

CN's 18,600-mile rail network transports more than 300 million tonnes of goods annually across North America. Approximately 85% of the company's direct GHG emissions arise from rail operations, making fleet decarbonisation the central challenge. CN's 2030 strategy is built on five pillars: fleet renewal, innovative technology, big data, improved operating practices and cleaner fuels. The company has purchased Wabtec's FLXdrive, the first 100% battery heavy-haul locomotive, which is expected to reduce locomotive fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30%.

CN became the first North American railroad to formally commit to net-zero by joining the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2021. The company's science-based target serves as a market signal to its supplier ecosystem regarding the need for collaboration on renewable fuels and alternative locomotive propulsion technology. CN has revised its targets multiple times since 2017 to reflect operational changes and the latest climate science, and acknowledges that achieving net-zero by 2050 will require industry-wide collaboration among locomotive manufacturers, fuel producers, governments and universities.

Non-rail operations — including trucking and vessel fleets — account for approximately 15% of CN's direct GHG emissions and are governed by sector-specific decarbonisation approaches integrated into the company's overall intensity target. CN's experience provides a model for other transportation operators: that SBT adoption signals credibility to investors, customers and supply chain partners while providing internal structure for emissions reduction strategy. For India's freight rail sector, which is undergoing electrification under the Indian Railways green programme, CN's multi-technology approach to large-network decarbonisation offers relevant insights.

Key figure — 43% Scope 1 and 2 GHG intensity reduction target by 2030