ALICE Announces support for the Manifesto for intermodal, low-carbon, efficient, and resilient freight transport and logistics

Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

The European Technology Platform ALICE (Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe) would like to announce its formal endorsement of the Manifesto for intermodal, low-carbon, efficient, and resilient freight transport and logistics. Co-initiated by SLOCAT and the Kühne Foundation in partnership with CONCITO, IDDRI, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, the Smart Freight Centre, the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the World Resources Institute, the Manifesto underlines the urgent need for transformative action in freight transport and logistics to address interconnected global challenges.

Call to action

The manifesto, launched at the United Nations Global Supply Chain Forum in Bridgetown, Barbados on 21 May 2024, calls on governments and businesses to prioritise the development and financing of intermodal, low-carbon, efficient and resilient freight transport and logistics systems. The document highlights the importance of combining low-carbon services across all transport modes, from local deliveries to intercontinental shipments, to support socio-economic transformation while keeping global warming below 1.5ºC.

Freight transport and logistics play a key role in connecting goods, markets and consumers, driving socio-economic development and enabling positive change. However, the sector faces significant challenges, including climate change, geopolitical tensions and evolving energy needs. The manifesto addresses these challenges by advocating for systems that are resilient, sustainable and able to adapt to future needs.

Key pillars of transformation

The manifesto outlines several key enablers to achieve a sustainable transformation of the freight transport and logistics sector:

Ambitious targets and standards: Implementing science-based targets, regulations, and standards for low-carbon infrastructure, operations, vehicles, and fuels.
Efficient and resilient corridors: Developing intermodal, low-carbon freight corridors that increase efficiency and resilience across borders.
Zero-emission fuels and renewable energy: Transition to zero-emission fuels and renewable energy sources in all transport modes.
Local value chains and circularity: Promoting local value chains, circular economies, and optimised logistics systems to reduce emissions and increase resilience.
Equitable investment and finance: Aligning climate and development finance with decarbonisation goals and creating an enabling environment for private investment.
Integrated planning and operations: Promoting land use planning for multimodal transport facilities and optimising logistics operations to reduce transport demand and distances.
Transparent monitoring and reporting: Establishing mandatory, standardised, and transparent systems for tracking and reporting GHG emissions and sustainability impacts.
Innovation and capacity building: Fostering partnerships for technology transfer, capacity building, and innovation to drive the transition to low-carbon logistics.

ALICE’s commitment

ALICE is committed to facilitating the transition to net zero emissions in logistics through collaborative innovation, knowledge sharing, and policy support. By endorsing this manifesto, ALICE reaffirms its commitment to driving the change needed for a sustainable and resilient freight transport sector.

As part of its ongoing efforts, ALICE will continue to engage with stakeholders, influence European policies and support the implementation of EU research and innovation programmes towards deployment of new technologies and systemic transformation. These initiatives will help to realise the vision of a Physical Internet, where interconnected logistics networks maximise efficiency and sustainability.

ALICE invites all stakeholders in the logistics and transport sector to support the Manifesto for intermodal, low-carbon, efficient, and resilient freight transport and logistics and calls companies to collaborate and create a proper framework for transport system transformation. We offer the ALICE network as a platform to realize this.

“Our support for this manifesto is in line with ALICE’s mission to enable an affordable and accelerated transition to net zero emissions logistics. We believe that joint efforts and collaborative innovation are required to address the challenges and reach the objectives. Systemic transformation is needed and this cannot be done by individual supply chains. Together, we can create the innovation ecosystem to implement the necessary innovations for sustainable and competitive freight transport and logistics."

Fernando Liesa

ALICE's Secretary General

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