Developing green freight programmes in South Asia and East & Central Africa

This project was approved in 2022 under the CCAC's call for transformative action in the heavy-duty vehicles and engines (HDVE) sector. 

In India alone, CO2 emissions from the freight and logistics sector are predicted to increase by 400% from 2017 to 2047. This comes at a huge environmental and human cost not just to the affected regions, but to the world at large. At the same time, the Northern Corridor, linking six countries (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo) is the busiest corridor in East and Central Africa, handling over 30 million tons of cargo through Mombasa Port with annual 10% growth.  

While East Africa has made important steps towards cleaner transport policies with the adoption of low sulphur fuels in 2015, improvements in vehicle technology and more stringent vehicle emissions standards could still be made. The recent adoption of Euro 4/IV vehicle emission standards for East Africa builds political momentum. The Northern Corridor’s Green Freight Strategy now needs to be aligned with the new sub-regional vehicle emissions standards and sufficient awareness and capacity for implementation needs to be ensured.

Project reference: Developing green freight programmes in South Asia and East & Central Africa [HDV-22-001]

What we're doing

The Smart Freight Centre in collaboration with UNEP will develop a regional Green Freight Programme in South Asia and East Africa, working closely with local partners. Following the completion of a baseline study using datasets from a network of global shippers, this project will aim to develop a Smart Freight Shippers Alliance encouraging commitments to reduce SLCPs including through adoption of the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework. 

In South Asia, multinational and domestic shippers will be incentivized to decarbonize Scope 3 supply chain emissions and select carriers with the ambition to lower emissions. Meanwhile, the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy will propose measures and plans to reduce vehicle emissions, in particular black carbon, nitrous oxides, and carbon dioxide. The project will lead to improved road safety and improved vehicle fuel efficiency in the region, with substantial climate and health benefits. 

This project is expected to deliver at a minimum: 

• Public and private stakeholders recognize the outcomes of the baseline study 
• Medium and large shippers & LSPs come together to form a SFSA with commitments to adopt the GLEC framework for calculating and reporting freight emissions 
• Northern Corridor increases commitment to reduce energy use and emissions by adopting the Green Freight Strategy