Transport and Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development, which emerged some thirty years ago, is now widely known and accepted. It aims to reconcile economic development with the satisfaction of people's essential needs and the preservation of the environment.

This article shows how the environmental aspect of this concept can be applied to freight transport.

The first step is to gain a better understanding of the link between transport activities and environmental degradation, by taking stock of the various environmental impacts, such as the greenhouse effect, air pollution and noise: what are these impacts in the case of freight transport? To qualify the energy and environmental performance of transport, we need to distinguish between different transport solutions (mode, vehicle) and operational parameters (speed, loading rate). In addition, we need to look at the challenges posed by the design of logistics chains and logistics practices: logistics schemes and organizations determine the flow of goods, and therefore have a major influence on the environmental performance of transporting a product and its raw materials. A wide range of studies (national statistics, studies, research results, calculation tools and methodologies) now provide the key players (carriers, freight forwarders and shippers) with essential information, which should encourage them to take action. Voluntary commitment schemes are available for this purpose.