Voluntary recording and reporting of carbon emissions from logistics delivers early progress

Tuesday 24 May 2011

The development of a voluntary scheme to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from hgvs and vans has reached a scale and level of development sufficient to warrant the publication of a first annual report to coincide with Climate Week (21-27 March).

Plans to develop an industry-led voluntary scheme to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from hgvs and vans were announced in December 2009. Since then the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme (LCRS) has attracted the support of nearly 50 leading businesses operating in excess of 40,000 commercial vehicles, ranging from major high street retailers and third party logistics providers to utility companies.

The scheme, which is managed by the Freight Transport Association (FTA), involves businesses providing details of their fuel usage, fleet and activity data. These are datasets which are collected routinely by operators to manage their businesses, so the administrative burden of providing data is minimal. Scheme members commit at a senior director level to participate in the scheme and to have their data independently verified by FTA as part of the reporting process. In the first annual report of the scheme, emissions from the sector are tracked from 2005 to 2009.

Participants in the scheme are committing collectively to an 8 per cent reduction in the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions by 2015 (compared to 2010 levels). Future annual reports will monitor the progress towards meeting the 8 per cent carbon dioxide intensity target by 2015.

Simon Chapman, Chief Economist said:

“Carbon dioxide emissions from freight represent 30 per cent of all transport emissions, and the industry recognises it has an important role in bringing overall levels of emissions down. Analysis of fuel use emissions data since 2005 by scheme members suggests that some progress has already been made, particularly through driver fuel efficiency training, use of biofuels and increases in vehicle carrying capacity. However, better visibility of fuel costs which the scheme promotes suggests there is still a big prize for operators to aim at. The cost of fuel continues to represent over a third of the costs of running a truck.”

Unlike national carbon dioxide reduction targets which commit the UK to an absolute cut in carbon dioxide emissions, the scheme’s target focuses on producing less carbon per unit of resource or activity.

Chapman continued:

“The eight per cent intensity reduction in just five years is challenging. However we believe it is achievable given the opportunities that alternative fuel and vehicle technology offer in improving fuel efficiency and the contribution that telematics and traffic office IT can make to working resources harder.

“Setting an absolute cut in emissions, whilst superficially attractive as it would tie into national targets, is impractical. Freight demand and therefore absolute levels of fuel use is heavily dependent on economic growth and changes in business of scheme members. These are not factors that businesses can predict with any certainty. What operators can commit to is how they will make use of low carbon technologies and fuels and leveraging greater productivity out of their resources.”

Whilst the scheme’s development has been industry-led, there is considerable potential for government action to reinforce the progress made by businesses to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The target reflects a business as usual scenario and current government policies which are not as helpful as they could be.

Chapman concluded:

“If government wants more then it can help us by looking at higher capacity trucks, defending double deck trailers against a possible European height limit of 4 metres, making rail freight cheaper and easier to use, restoring rail freight grants and biofuel duty incentives and maintaining a fairer deal on fuel.”

Welcoming the first report of the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme, Climate Week Chief Executive Kevin Steele said:

“We support the aim of the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme of seeking to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the freight industry, and we are very pleased that the Freight Transport Association is working to increase commitment amongst UK companies to the low carbon agenda.”
 

FTA Press Office

01892 552255
press.office@fta.co.uk