Have you ever wondered about the journey of the morning coffee you brew or buy from a store? How did it reach from the coffee estates to your cup?

Global freight demand is estimated to triple between 2015 and 2050 and the ability to move goods efficiently has become the lifeblood of economic development, particularly in cities which generate over 80 percent of global GDP and an estimated 75 percent of global emissions (ITF 2019). Freight transport forms the backbone of today’s global economy.

The unprecedented growth in e-commerce has led many businesses grow but has also put enormous stress on existing infrastructures. Its demand and dependency was recently seen during the COVID19 outbreak, where contactless shopping became the new normal.

With the numbers of deliveries exploding, companies are finding ways to make their supply chain more efficient to manage the demand. New business models (just-in-time delivery), alternate delivery methods (cargo bikes, parcel locker), policies (low emission zones, off-hour deliveries), technological and infrastructure developments are evolving to minimize the negative impacts on urban life.

Through the session, panelists deliberated on the following aspects:

• How public-private partnerships can forge the way for new solutions?
• How urban planning can guide better urban freight distribution?
• Is the cargo bike the final answer for parcel deliveries?
• How has urban logistics in the time of the pandemic played a key role?

Moderator

• Yiqian Zhang, Officer, Sustainable Mobility, ICLEI World Secretariat, Germany (Download presentation)

Speakers

• Sergio Eduardo Martinez, Undersecretary of Mobility Policy of Bogota (Download presentation)
• Robin Billsjö, Urban Freight Strategist, Transport department, City of Stockholm (Download presentation)
• Li-Teh Lu (Ph.D.), Director General, Environment Protection Department, Deputy CEO, ICLEI EcoLogistics Community Chair Office, Taoyuan (Download presentation)