Global Green Freight Action Plan

Why diesel transport and green freight?

The transportation sector contributes roughly 22% of global CO2 emissions and about 19% black carbon emissions: black carbon or soot is a powerful climate forcer with significant adverse health impacts. Heavy-duty vehicles such as those used for freight transportation have a marked impact on climate and air quality, and vehicle activity is projected to grow significantly in the coming decades, particularly in emerging economies. Diesel ground freight transport alone is responsible for over 150,000 tons of black carbon per year.

Emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which includes black carbon and other particles from heavy duty vehicles, contributes to elevated ambient concentrations of PM2.5 responsible for millions of premature deaths each year and a 69% increase in cardiovascular deaths after acute exposure to particulate air pollution, as well as increase in respiratory diseases.

Solution

Green freight programs can accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies and strategies that save fuel, reduce costs for business, and lead to significant reductions of CO2, black carbon, particulate matter and other air pollutant emissions across the entire transport sector.  

Our Promise

Over 20 committed governments and dozens of NGOs and companies are brought together under the Global Green Freight Action Plan to expand, harmonize and scale up freight programs that reduce black carbon, particulate matter, CO2 and other emissions from global freight transportation.

The partners pledged to work towards three key objectives:

1. Align and enhance existing green freight efforts;

2. Develop and support new green freight programs globally;

3. Incorporate black carbon reductions into green freight programs.

We expect that successful implementation of this program and other initiatives will mitigate the climate impacts from the freight sector and even reverse the predicted trend of increasing black carbon (between 2020 and 2035) and CO2 emissions.

Our overarching goal is to enhance energy security and support economic development while protecting public health and the environment.

Progress and deliverables in 2015

Three main areas of progress since the September 2014 Climate Summit

• Stakeholder Consultation Process engaging all endorsers/partners to get input for the Action Plan
• Global Green Freight Action Plan was officially launched at the International Transport Forum in Leipzig on May 28, 2015
• Development of Website - globalgreenfreight.org - is under development to act as a portal for information on Green Freight programs. This site is expected to be launched in near future and it will serve as a clearing house of strategies, information and best practices – a true global resource for all stakeholders. The site will also host the dynamic web-based Action Plan.

Key deliverables until end of this year

• Finalize initial work and propose actionable recommendations for successful Green Freight programs in Mexico, Vietnam, and Bangladesh by August 2015
• Commence Phase 2 of the Global Green Freight project in September 2015.

What will be presented at COP21

• Report on overall progress of the Action Plan as well as announce on the progress of the Action Plan and any new actions. Aim to secure group of industry leaders who commit to relevant new actions, such as the incorporation of black carbon reductions into their supply chain sustainability efforts.
• Partners or endorsers who have chosen to join the Action Plan could be announced at the COP, along with details of Actions they will be leading or involved with.