On Thursday, Norfolk Southern Corporation released its first Climate Transition Plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
The railroad said its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability it rooted in its corporate values and its understanding of climate science. The plan will focus on fuel management and consumption, officials said, in order to achieve a science-based target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 42 percent before 2034. Using innovative technologies and operating practices, the company said it hopes to improve locomotive fleet fuel consumption, while increasing consumption of low carbon fuels and renewable energy.
“Reducing the environmental impact of our operations is driven by our commitment to a cleaner and better planet for our employees, our customers, and our communities for generations to come,” Josh Raglin, Chief Sustainability Officer at Norfolk Southern, said. “We recognize the significant role of greenhouse gas emissions in global climate change, and we are determined to do our part in mitigating these emissions.”
Officials said the plan will focus on improving fuel efficiency by 13 percent by 2027; increasing renewable energy usage to 30 percent by 2030 and increasing biofuel consumption to 20 percent by 2034.
The plan is based on a maturity assessment that follows technical guidance on Climate Transition Plans and the Assessing Low-Carbon Transition guidance from CDP (the Carbon Disclosure Project), a global non-profit that provides investors, companies, cities, states and regions with a system to manage their environmental impacts. Norfolk Southern said its plan will respond to evolving regulatory and market landscapes surrounding climate change.