31 August 2023
Carbon Footprinting
in logistics
There is a social imperative to systematically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to do so as quickly as possible. Also, CO2 is increasingly being put at a price, which is having a growing impact on results. For every company it is therefore becoming a matter of course to set up carbon accounting alongside financial accounting: a normal part of business operations. This website focuses on carbon footprinting in logistics.
Read moreGuidelines
Measuring, calculating, allocating and reducing CO2 emissions in transport and logistics
Guidelines
In order to be able to properly arrange the accounting registration and control, an extensive set of guidelines has been developed in the Netherlands by Topsector Logistiek. The guidelines are based on the COFRET recommendations. Today, tools are also developed and offered on the basis of these guidelines, in addition to the model software.
Read moreISO/NEN
The ISO standard on CO2 emissions in transport and logistics is expected to become available in 2022. It is likely that this standard will then be adopted by the EU, as an EN standard succeeding the existing EN16258.
The main discussion in the ISO working groups is how to distribute the emissions from a (distribution) trip, or a train passing through several stations, or an inland waterway vessel calling at several terminals, to the individual jobs in that trip. In the jargon of the standards, this is called allocating or “allocating.”
Guidelines
Tools
Someone who starts making CO2 emission estimates already comes a long way by reading guidelines and setting up a simple model in Excel. That gives a nice sense of what it means, how the chain fits together and what order sizes are. If you then want to take the next step, you automatically end up with the carbon footprinting tools that are available on the market.
Models and (chain) accounting tools
Most tools help the user create a complex model of the chain, and estimate or predict the amount of fuel consumed.
But a new generation of tools is currently emerging. These are more focused on “accounting” for the primary data from the operation and calculating emissions from it in a standardized way so that they can be assigned to the right activity. The “accounting” means that an administrator or an auditor can check whether the results are reliable and thus give a true picture of reality. This is important if unqualified opinions are required, for example, for reports or calculations of emissions costs.
Benchmarking
CO2 reduction programs support participants in reducing emissions. At their core, these programs provide a neutral platform for collecting and exchanging knowledge, data and best practices for CO2 reduction in logistics and transport. In addition, many programs have a role in setting concrete goals per sector, community benchmarking, providing insight into the carbon footprint of the entire logistics chain and giving participants recognition for achieving these goals.