(25/04/2024) 

The Rail Sustainability Index of the International Union of Railways includes seven of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, those specifically related to the activity of the sector and in which the railway can make its greatest contributions: Gender Equality, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent work and Economic Growth, Industry Innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and communities, responsible Consumption and production, and Climate Action.

In the 2023 edition, Renfe has ranked among the best positioned companies with a 79.9 score, revealing that, in terms of achieving the selected goals, the company is above the average sector score, which is 44.63. Specifically, the ‘use of affordable and clean energies’, ‘industry innovation and infrastructure’, ‘sustainable cities and communities’ and ‘climate action’ stand out.

Sustainability

Renfe has incorporated the Sustainable Development Goals, approved by the United Nations in 2015, as well as its ‘2030 Agenda’ into its business strategy. This inclusion sets its environmental initiatives and reinforces the role played by the railway as the most efficient mode of transport for passengers and freight in terms of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

At present, all Renfe’s electric trains, both passenger and freight, have the Carbon Neutral certification. All the company’s daily train traffic avoids the annual emission of 4.7 million tonnes of CO2 and represents an energy saving of almost 1.3 million tonnes of oil equivalent. What’s more, Renfe's next goal is to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050.