EPA sponsors supply chain assessment

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay division partnered with the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT) and Home Depot to complete a supply chain assessment using data from Home Depot, the third largest importer of cargo. From the Executive Summary…

Global trade has increased significantly in recent decades, and some forecasters expect goods movement activity to triple or quadruple within the next few decades. All modes of freight transportation rely almost entirely on fossil fuels, and carbon emissions from marine transport have grown even faster than overall activity, principally due to inefficiencies in goods movement and lagging technology adoption. This study evaluates the capacity of current and future technologies and strategies to improve the energy and environmental performance of a real-world global supply chain. It also highlights the drivers of and barriers to a greener freight sector, and explores how to foster collaboration across industry, government, and civil society to facilitate future implementation of technologies and strategies.

From the International council on Clean Transportation.

This is one of the first studies to incorporate technology research, operational best practices, and emissions accounting methodologies in an in-depth assessment of a real-world supply chain. It highlights how analyzing real-world data need not compromise business confidentiality.

The full report can be downloaded here [PDF, 2.7 MB].