With Black Friday 2021 approaching, one should consider the carbon footprint of global freight.

According to the OECD – OCDE and the ITF – International Transport Forum’ 2021 Transport Outlook, “freight’s absolute CO2 emissions will be 22% higher than 2015 by 2050 under current policies and its share of all transport emissions will continue to grow.”

Related: IMO Environmental Meetings Branded “Missed Opportunity” By Industry.

Indeed, in 2015, the same organisations projected that while most trade corridors are set to see decoupling between freight volume and CO2 emissions between 2010 and 2050, the opposite is expected in Europe and Asia. Factors contributing to this disturbing forecast are:

-Average hauling distance growth by 12% between 2010 and 2050; and

Related: French and Canadian Rail Freight Operators Turn to Offsetting, Hybrid Locomotives.

-significant intra-Africa and intra-Asia trade growth will be fuelled by carbon-intensive trucking; and

– the overall share of air cargo emissions is set to increase as countries explore more sophisticated, high value goods.

What actions do you propose stakeholders should undertake to decrease global freight’s carbon footprint? Should governments try to shift demand? Should OEMs offer more efficient trucks, trains, and planes? 

Let us know in the comments.

ITF Transport Outlook 2021: https://lnkd.in/eUY6H68E

ITF The Carbon Footprint of Global Trade: Tackling Emissions from International Freight Transport (2015): https://lnkd.in/eQN4beP2

Image: Ikiwaner contribs) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Washington_Truck.jpg), „Eastern Washington Truck“, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode