JIUTEPEC, MOR.- The transition to lower-emission mobility must be addressed from a cross-cutting and strategic perspective, said Miguel Elizalde, CEO of Consultoría Mobility Sustainable .
“I really like the name “sustainable mobility” because it’s already so much so that we named the business “sustainable mobility,” because talking about sustainability is different from talking about sustainability. When we talk about sustainability, it’s something that has to remain in place over time; it involves economic factors and more,” he explained.
Based on figures from the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas and Compound Emissions , based on 2021 data, Elizalde explained that motor transport contributes 19.5% of total emissions in Mexico. Of that percentage, he explained, 7.8% comes from heavy vehicles , such as trucks and buses, while 11.7% comes from light vehicles, such as private cars.
“ If tomorrow all transportation vehicles—that is, heavy vehicles, buses, trucks, tortons, rabones, tractor-trailers, etc.—become carbon-neutral, we’ll only reduce our emissions by 7.8 percent. It’s important, yes, but it’s also very important to collaborate on light vehicles, to collaborate on other modes of transportation ,” Elizalde added.
Elizalde pointed out that emissions reduction must be addressed comprehensively, acting across the entire value chain. This involves considering everything from vehicle manufacturing to their operation in the delivery and distribution processes.
He added that some manufacturing companies are already developing specific projects along these lines, demonstrating that progress is possible at every stage of the logistics cycle .
He also stressed the importance of diversifying energy sources for transportation, including clean electricity, sustainable biofuels, synthetic fuels, and green hydrogen. While acknowledging that some of these technologies still face technical and, above all, economic challenges, he considered them key elements in moving toward cleaner mobility.
Speaking at the 3rd Meeting on Sustainable Technology and Mobility , organized by the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP),Elizalde explained that, unlike sectors such as agriculture, where reducing emissions is technically more complex, transportation offers greater opportunities for implementing effective solutions.
He highlighted the potential of technologies such as electromobility , hybrid vehicles, and the use of clean energy, which offer better opportunities to achieve concrete reductions in polluting emissions.
He cited as an example the United States’ 2022 strategic decarbonization plan , which involved several departments—environment, energy, planning, and transportation—to coordinate long-term policies.
“ It’s a great opportunity to reduce emissions across all modes of transportation, but we have to be very strategic ,” Elizalde said.
He also indicated that reducing emissions doesn’t depend solely on public policies or corporate actions, but can also be initiated through everyday personal decisions, such as waste separation and recycling.
Regarding government incentives , he warned that while they can be useful in promoting the implementation of certain clean transportation technologies or models, they are rarely sustainable over time. Therefore, he emphasized the need to design them with a strategic and sustainable vision.
It should be noted that Miguel Elizalde will be one of the panelists at the Transportation and Logistics Meeting ( ETYL Cali-Baja 2025) , which will take place on May 14 and 15 , where the challenges and opportunities surrounding mobility and sustainable transportation in the binational region will be addressed.
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