Transforming Freight Transport and Logistics

The Manifesto for intermodal, low-carbon, efficient and resilient freight transport and logistics was launched at the first United Nations Global Supply Chain Forum organised by United Nations Trade and Development and the Government of Barbados from 21 – 24 May 2024. Gathering support from more than 30 multi-stakeholder organisations, the manifesto underscores the urgent need for freight transport and logistics transformations to help our economies and societies respond to interconnected challenges and remain competitive, equitable and resilient, while keeping global warming to 1.5ºC. 

To translate the manifesto’s vision and critical enablers into actionable steps, SLOCAT and the Kühne Climate Center are now initiating the development of a compendium of policy and financing
interventions. This compendium identifies the ‘best value’ policies and investment approaches to deliver quick wins and initiate long-term transformations. Leveraging collective intelligence and best practices from stakeholders, it aims to steer global discussions and enable multi stakeholder actions. The suggested interventions should be implemented in a comprehensive and integrated approach to maximise their effectiveness. Studies show that interventions are highly interrelated: Technological interventions are closely related to operational gains and to a lesser degree to regulatory and economic improvements.

Recognising the essential role of freight transport in sustainable trade and development, this paper aims to shed light on the data, knowledge, policy and finance needs to further strengthen freight systems that efficiently combine different low carbon modes, share capacities and rely on sustainable first and last mile delivery.

The analysis highlights a critical gap in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS) submitted under the Paris Agreement framework: the lack of specific targets and measures for freight transport. There is also a missing balanced approach to sustainable, low-carbon freight transport and logistics within the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework. It showcases best practices from existing climate strategies and offers recommendations for enhancing sustainable, low-carbon freight transport and logistics in the next round of NDCs and LTS submissions.

A stakeholder consultation workshop was organised by SLOCAT and the Kühne Climate Center in September 2024 to provide a platform for stakeholders to share their lessons learned in transforming freight transport and logistics, leveraging collective knowledge to refine the compendium. Participants engaged in discussions to ensure that the compendium becomes a valuable tool for supporting day-to-day decision-making.