The United Nations (UN) advisory group tasked with investigating sustainable development within the transportation sector has published its first ever report, setting out 10 specific guidelines for the industry and providing an overview of global trends.
The Global Sustainable Transport Outlook Report, Mobilizing Sustainable Transport for Development, provides a focused set of recommendations on how the transport sector can advance sustainable development, promote economic growth, and bolster the fight against climate change. It provides an analytical overview of global trends, including urbanization, demographic shifts, globalization, and technological progress in digital connectivity and sustainable transport systems.
All recommendations in the report are based on the findings of the independent High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, which was appointed by Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the UN, in 2014. The advisory group is composed of leaders from the private and public sectors, representing developed and developing countries and a wide range of transport modes and sectors.
Commenting on the findings of the new report, Frank Appel, CEO, Deutsche Post DHL Group, said, “It is both a great honor and a privilege to be a part of this group. There is an urgent need for collective action to face the challenges of climate change. I very much welcome the opportunity to bring our many years of experience in pioneering sustainable transportation solutions and logistics expertise to the table.
“Our advisory group agrees that there is a strong economic case for sustainable transport that includes many clear social benefits. We have worked together over the past two years to explore how to effectively transform the transport system and I am convinced that the logistics sector can play a leading role in bringing the report’s recommendations to life.”
A number of the recommendations are said to have clear implications for the logistics sector. For example, the recommendation to make transport planning, policy and investment decisions based on social, environmental and economic development aspects, challenges logistics operators to seek out new ways to balance short-term financial gains against broader benefits for society.
There is also a recommendation to integrate sustainable transport planning efforts with a balanced development of transport modes. This can be supported both by the development of multimodal transport solutions that address customer needs while reducing emissions, and by the closer collaboration and capacity sharing initiatives between transport companies across their respective networks.
To read more information on the Global Sustainable Transport Outlook Report click here.
November 1, 2016