Calculating emissions along supply chains: Towards the global methodological harmonisation

Abstract

In order to keep climate change on a manageable level, countries across the globe are expected to control and reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions. A major contributor to these emissions is the growing transport sector, especially professional freight transport. Several initiatives have come forward with possible methods, tools or databases for the calculation of the carbon footprint of freight transport chains. However, there are problems in terms of comparability, transparency and accuracy since these initiatives are based on different starting points, approaches or intentions in development. The EU co-funded project COFRET (Carbon Footprint of Freight Transport) is making progress towards a unified approach. Based on existing knowledge and with special regard to the recently published EN 16258 standard, COFRET will provide a list of prioritised gaps and ambiguities in current approaches together with first suggestions how to address them in the pursuit of methodological harmonisation when calculating logistics related carbon footprint emissions along complex supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the work that has been done during the systematic review process of COFRET’s research in assessing existing knowledge. Afterwards, suggestions for future improvements towards a global methodological harmonisation are given.