Promoting Green Freight in Europe and Asia

Online Resources of Voluntary Commitment

Summary

Green freight programs will be fully operational in Europe and Asia that help countries reduce fossil fuel dependency, improve air quality and minimize CO2 emissions. These programs promote reporting and reduction of fuel use and carbon emissions from freight movement and the standardization and harmonization of reporting. This helps the freight sector to become more competitive, improve carbon accounting and reporting to clients, ensure recognition of green efforts, and provide input into government freight policies and programs.

Plan of Action

Defining clear objectives, scope, plan of action and timelines to introduce green freight programs
Obtaining government endorsement and aligning programs with governmental policies
Developing a consensus based, multi‐stakeholder approach with defined roles and benefits for relevant stakeholders
Establishing/ maintaining a clear governance structure and working mechanism, convened by a neutral body
Creating and sharing success stories, best practices and knowledge
Developing/adopting consistent tools and methodologies for carbon measurement and reporting while ensuring data confidentiality
Developing financial mechanisms and resources which support carriers to invest in cleaner technologies and strategies
Developing schemes that reward sustainable transportation and the adoption of Green technologies

Deliverables

Publications, websites and events on green freight to raise awareness, share experiences and technical knowledge and engage stakeholders
Consistent tools and methodologies for carbon measurement and reporting
National Green Freight Programs and urban and transport policies in Europe and Asia that integrate green freight
Concussion of new and strategic members for the GFA Commitment

Update of Progress (2013-2014)

Incorporation of Green Freight Asia Network Ltd. as not for profit in Singapore: Founding companies include DHL, UPS, IKEA, HP, Lenovo which was supported by Clean Air Asia and the Green Transformation Lab (see GFA partners);
Green Freight Asia Meeting 21 November 2013: 50 Individuals from 31 organizations made the Green Freight Aisa Meeting on 21 November 2013 in Singapore a special event, which was under the motto “Creating Value Through Green Freight Asia” (download GFA Meeting eFlyer here). The very interactive discussions provided valuable input to review and bring the Green Freight Asia Label concept to the next stage, so as to help make the freight sector more sustainable, benefiting business, society, and the environment;
Through their membership and by signing the GFA commitment letter, Heineken Asia Pacific Ltd. Pte. and Ants Logistics Ltd. Chengdu supports the vision of enabling sustainable supply chain practices across Asia;
Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. has joined as new member of Green Freight Asia (GFA);
GFA and the Smart Freight Centre (SFC) signed a partnership agreement for more sustainable freight transport in Asia Pacific;
Procter & Gamble joined as new member of Green Freight Asia;
On May 14, 2014, 65 experts from 40 global, multi-national, and local organizations met at Singapore Management University for GFA’s bi-annual meeting. Participants comprised logistics companies, manufacturers from different industries, as well as academia, associations, and NGOs. They came from various Asia-Pacific countries, such as Singapore, China, India, and Japan, as well as from Europe and the US.

Challenges

Work together with government agencies, the private sector, research institutes and civil society to develop national and regional green freight programs by:

Defining clear objectives, scope, plan of action and timelines to introduce green freight programs
Obtaining government endorsement and aligning programs with governmental policies
Developing a consensus based, multi‐stakeholder approach with defined roles and benefits for relevant stakeholders
Establishing/maintaining a clear governance structure and working mechanism, convened by a neutral body
Creating and sharing success stories, best practices
Developing/adopting consistent tools and methodologies for carbon measurement and reporting while ensuring data confidentiality
Developing financial mechanisms and resources which support carriers to invest in cleaner technologies and strategies
Developing schemes that reward sustainable transportation and the adoption of Green technologies

Post-2015 Development Agenda

Green Freight Asia (GFA) proposes the implementation of the GFA Label in the form of a ‘soft-launch’. The scope of the ‘soft launch’ will include a limited number of companies (e.g. up to 20), the process will be managed by an (accredited) certification body, independent and neutral to GFA. Envisioned start: July 2014

Companies taking part in the ‘soft-launch’, who will achieve the GFA label criteria post benchmarking will be rewarded with the GFA Label (and will be the first to receive the GFA Label). Following the ‘soft-launch’, a review of the Label will conducted before end of 2014, feedback, lessons learnt and recommendations will be considered in preparation of the ‘hard-launch’ of the GFA Label in 2015.

Focal Persons

Bjorn Hannappel (Bjoern.Hannappel@deutschepost.de) and Stephan Schablinski (stephans@smu.edu.sg)