An Inconvenient Truck
Issue: Spring 2009
Truck operators must do better, cut emissions and save money. David Jinks reveals the hard hitting conclusions of a high profile report from the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (UK).
The Chartered Institute of Logistics’ new report ‘An Inconvenient Truck?’ has highlighted the difficulties of improving our industry’s green credentials while recognising the realities of the current economic situation.
Put simply, the Institute’s report argues truck operators have failed to cut their carbon footprint with the degree of urgency required considering the facts established by climate change science. This was the emphatic conclusion of the Institute’s Policy Studies Working Group and other expert contributors to a new Institute guide to CO2 emissions from freight.
The report says that much more must be done to reduce tailpipe pollution, cut lorry mileage, shift freight to less polluting modes of transport, and increase operational efficiency. Such measures will not only contribute to an overall fall in CO2 emissions but reduce vehicle and distribution operating costs to the benefit of industry and end consumers.
The Institute has published An Inconvenient Truck? – the CILT Guide to CO2 Emissions from Freight, a 44 page report providing a comprehensive assessment of the current scene together with guidance on the range, availability and costs of schemes designed to support and advise truck operators in the management and reduction of their carbon output.
It doesn’t pull any punches, concluding not only that freight operators are not making progress fast enough, but also calling for broadening the strength of the rail network to ensure increased rail freight capacity; ensuring responsibility for integrated freight planning; a radical change to vehicle taxation; increased collaboration; improved cooperation between operators, the Government, NGOs and academics, and increased emphasis on best practice.
One intriguing conclusion is that competition law needs to be eased to allow companies to act together legitimately. Competition law is currently a significant obstacle to action such as vehicle sharing.
Another notable finding is that we should be reducing the number of environmental initiatives! The report calls for a focus on actions that have the most significant effect and for Government to place binding targets on emissions reduction.
You don’t need me to tell you the economic situation is a bit dire at present. All our latest forecasts are producing graphs looking more like a nasty fall off Mount Everest (and we’re talking the precipitous North Face) than a nice steady uphill climb. So the report acknowledges the real costs of environmental impacts need to be realistically set against accurate estimates of the impact on business.
Of course saving fuel, reducing empty running and increasing collaboration means spending less money in the long run. CILT Chief Executive Steve Agg says: “The importance of freight distribution to the economy and to serving the interests of the entire population cannot be overstated. Our daily needs are delivered on the back of a truck and the industry does a wonderful job. However, despite substantial progress by many fleets in reducing carbon emissions, our new report has concluded that even more could and should have been achieved.
“Over the last ten years we have seen improvements in engine technology, less empty running, innovative progress in logistics, a reduction in mileage, and many other measures listed in our report which have all contributed to reducing freight’s carbon footprint. But the industry must do more to take full advantage of the quantity and breadth of experience now available in order to make further improvements.
“The irony of all of this is that the more carbon friendly operations are, then the less costly they become – reduce emissions and save money. Everybody wins. “The worsening environmental evidence will inevitably result in increased regulatory pressure on transport operators to improve their carbon cutting performance and some new demands will certainly be uncomfortable. But, in principle, such measures will be supported by CILT. We must all recognise the facts about global warming and the absolute necessity to act on those facts. Freight transport operations are essential but must be conducted with full awareness of the need to protect the overall environment. Our new CILT report spells out how to do it.”
● David Jinks is Publisher/Editor at The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (UK).
You can read the full report at:www.ciltuk.org.uk
Published: 02/03/2009
