Rivers take center stage in Europe's climate strategy

In a bid to slash carbon emissions, France's Seine River emerges as a vital player in a broader European effort to leverage waterways for freight transport.

Liz Alderman reports for The New York Times.

In short:

• The European Green Deal aims to revitalize river transport, cutting road freight's carbon footprint by encouraging barge use over traditional trucking.
• France's main port operator, Haropa, is spearheading more than 1 billion euros in investments to make the Seine a model for eco-friendly freight movement.
• Innovations like electric and hydrogen-powered barges are on the rise, alongside initiatives by companies such as Ikea to reduce urban pollution and congestion.

Key quote:

"We are working on a transformation to get businesses to massively shift their logistics routes."

— Stéphane Raison, president of Haropa

Why this matters:

Rivers, historically central to commerce and trade in Europe, are being re-envisioned as arteries of sustainable transport. Barges are capable of carrying much larger volumes of goods compared to trucks, thereby improving efficiency and reducing the number of trips needed to transport the same amount of cargo.

As the conditions on the Ohio — and its cargo — become more hazardous, key regulatory organizations struggle to keep up with the growing demands of this water highway.