Al-Qadi highlights transportation challenges, innovation at global sustainability congress

Imad Al-Qadi, Illinois Center for Transportation director, joined global experts at the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress in Chicago, held from June 16-19, where he addressed the urgent need to reduce emissions from the transportation sector and discussed emerging technologies aimed at improving sustainability.

The annual congress brings together researchers, policymakers and business leaders from around the world to explore solutions in sectors such as energy, mobility, infrastructure and climate resilience. This year marked the first time the international event was hosted in North America.

Al-Qadi spoke during a panel on freight, climate and infrastructure, noting that meaningful progress requires a shift toward cleaner energy and smarter multimodal freight solutions.

In an interview with CBS News Chicago, Al-Qadi said, “We are at a point where we can make a big change. We have a very aggressive program to reduce the energy that is generated from the coal.”

He also contributed insights from ongoing ICT research into freight systems, electrification and infrastructure resilience. Al-Qadi highlighted projections that freight demand will rise by 50% by 2050, even as the industry faces a significant labor shortage — estimated at 80,000 truck drivers today and expected to double by 2030.

Addressing the complexity of truck electrification, he explained the trade-offs between battery weight, payload capacity and road impact, which he researched in an ICT project. While electric trucks help reduce emissions, heavier batteries increase pavement stress and reduce truck range — posing both engineering and policy challenges.

Al-Qadi emphasized the need to focus on the resiliency and safety of the transportation system while addressing the economic and footprint life cycle. He added that requires stronger collaboration among research institutions, industry leaders and government agencies to advance sustainable transportation.

For more information about SRI2025, visit sricongress.org.