CCAC seeks government and company commitments to green the global movement of goods

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) called on governments and companies to make commitments to support actions to reduce black carbon from freight at the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Transport, Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation, fourth session (sustainable freight transport) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

“International trade is the main driver of development. With the speed of development and booming economies of many countries, the transport of goods is soaring faster than ever and is projected to grow 430% by 2050,” said Ms. Sophie Punte, Executive Director of the Smart Freight Centre, one of the CCAC partners spearheading the work on green freight. “We are glad to be cooperating with UNCTAD in promoting green freight to its 194 member states through this important gathering on transport and trade.”

The CCAC plans to announce commitments to support the Global Green Freight Action Plan at the upcoming COP21 climate talks in Paris this December.

“Inefficient freight systems are huge sources of emissions of carbon dioxide, black carbon and other air pollutants,” said Ms. Helena Molin Valdes, Head of the CCAC Secretariat. “The Global Green Freight Action Plan, when realized, will bring multiple benefits for both companies and the environment, including fuel savings and mitigation of climate change and air quality benefits for health and the ecosystems from the reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and black carbon.”

“Inefficient freight systems are huge sources of emissions of carbon dioxide, black carbon and other air pollutants.” Helena Molin Valdes

While the reduction of black carbon as a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) is the main objective of the CCAC in spearheading the Action Plan, the project will also result in huge co-benefits for cutting carbon dioxide emissions from trucks, ships, aircrafts and other modes of transportation used for carrying goods globally.

The Action Plan was announced at the UN Climate Summit in New York in September 2014, and was subsequently launched at the International Transport Forum in Leipzig in May 2015. It is part of the Lima-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) launched by the Peruvian and French presidencies in 2014 to record climate actions worldwide, complementing the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) that Parties are submitting prior to COP21.

The CCAC invites governments and companies (freight companies, brokers and shippers) to sign letters of commitments to support green freight. For more information, please contact denise.sioson.affiliate [at] unep.org (denise[dot]sioson[dot]affiliate[at]unep[dot]org).

Notes:

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants is the only global effort that unites governments, civil society and private sector, committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate in next few decades by reducing short-lived climate pollutants across sectors. Complementary to mitigating CO2 emissions, the Coalition acts as a catalyst to create, implement and share immediate solutions addressing near-term climate change to improve people’s lives rapidly, and to ensure sustainable development for future generations.

The Global Green Freight Action Plan championed by the CCAC was announced at the 2014 UN Climate Summit and launched at 2015 ITF Summit called on governments, private sector, civil society, and other actors to work in concert to: 1) Align and enhance existing green freight efforts; 2) Develop and support new green freight programs; and 3) Incorporate black carbon reductions into green freight programs. The Action Plan Steering Group members include the governments of Canada and the United States, Clean Air Asia, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), Smart Freight Centre (SFC) and the World Bank Group.