A 21-point plan has been revealed to help the transport and logistics sector achieve net zero by 2050, with recommendations including mandating the use of sustainable fuel, setting carbon budgets for the transport sector and incentivising the takeup of electric vehicles through grants and other initiatives.
Devised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), the Routes to Net-Zero 2050: 2020 Year End Summary report looks to the future and what needs to be done this year in order to facilitate the 2050 ambitions.
Other recommendations made in the publication include establishing a long-term policy that taxation will be aligned with resource efficiency, decarbonisation and levelling-up, as well as a review of air passenger duty and the replacement of fuel duty and vehicle tax by road pricing.
It also wants to see local government play its part by bringing in policies to suit their particular circumstances, such as implementing electric bike schemes, preparing active travel plans and ensuring that new developments feature vehicle charging points.
Transport providers are also being called upon to bring in their own decarbonisation schemes, which may require direct funding from the government, support or collaboration with industry.
Schemes could include home delivery providers moving to all-electric fleets by 2030, trialling electric aircraft on short domestic routes and campaigning to encourage people to use public transport more often.
CILT (UK) chief executive Kevin Richardson said: “Transport accounts for 28 per cent of UK carbon emissions and, despite the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, transport emissions will grow with recovery unless action is taken.
“Government is clearly the key player, but industry, organisations and individuals are also urged to take action, and we believe there is plenty to be achieved, starting today.”
Back in 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to bring in laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050, with the target requiring the country to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by then - compared to the previous target of at least 80 per cent reduction from 1990 levels.
Net zero means that any emissions generated would be balanced by various schemes to offset an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, whether that’s through technology like carbon capture and storage or planting trees.
Putting clean growth at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy could see the number of green collar jobs rise to two million, while seeing the value of exports from the low carbon economy grow to £170 billion each year by 2030.
The UK is due to host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow this November to accelerate action towards the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
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