Have you ever wondered about the journey of the morning coffee you buy from a store? How did it reach you?

Global freight demand is estimated to triple between 2015 and 2050. The ability to move goods efficiently has become the lifeblood of economic development, particularly in cities that generate over 80 percent of global GDP and an estimated 75 percent of global emissions. As cities continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, increasing freight movements present unique urban challenges including congestion, air pollution, traffic accidents, and a host of other negative impacts on the mobility system. To mitigate the adverse impacts and meet the Paris climate goals, it is imperative for cities to transition towards sustainable urban freight.

In this episode, Himanshu Raj and Yiqian Zhang, sustainable mobility officers from ICLEI World Secretariat sit down and discuss urban freight, the impacts caused by the sector, the challenges faced by the cities, and the solutions that are available.

Credits/references:

Ian Wainwright on the importance of EcoLogistics and urban freight: https://youtu.be/0iB6xYcNGFQ
Transport for London. (2019). Freight and servicing action plan.
Volvo Research and Educational Foundations. (2016). Why Goods Movement Matters - Strategies for Moving Goods in Metropolitan Areas.
ITF. (2019). ITF Transport Outlook 2019, OECD Publishing, Paris.

EcoLogistics 101: Everything You Need to Know About Sustainable Freight

Unpacking EcoLogistics By ICLEI Sustainable MobilityOct 22, 2020