A new standard for determining CO2 emissions in freight transport

The weekly magazine VerkehrsRundschau and the Oeko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology) today published a comprehensive methodology for calculating carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for logistics purposes. This methodology, which is described in detail, enables such emissions to be determined for the transport of goods by road, rail, air, sea or barge as well as for storage and turnaround. Additional factors are also explored, such as temperature-related logistics, general cargo and biofuels.

The new GHG calculation procedure, now published in book form, relies on the CO2 determination method first published in 2009 by the VerkehrsRundschau as a magazine series. The present publication goes a step further by offering in addition to simple calculation procedures more in-depth, detailed methods of determining emissions for all forms of transport and non-mobile storage as well. The current draft European norm for the calculation of GHG emissions for the transport of goods and passengers (prEN 16258:2011) and other recognised standards, data sources, regulations and legislation were all taken into account.

'The formulas and basic data in this book may be used to determine with scientific exactitude the impacts of logistics chains on the environment and climate,' says Martin Schmied, one of the three authors and Deputy Head of the Oeko-Institut's Infrastructure and Enterprises Division, and representative of the corresponding DIN norm committee. 'To this end, a whole series of formulas, conversion factors and energy consumption values were appraised just for this publication,' says Schmied.

'The procedures and basic data presented in the book Calculation of CO2 Emissions in Logistics may serve as a new standard for the logistics branch,' says Andre Kranke, author and Deputy Editor in Chief of the VerkehrsRundschau. 'The book not only explains the stipulations of the draft European norms but also fills gaps that must be closed if emissions calculations are to be applied in practice.'

The new publication enjoys the support of the Deutscher Speditions- und Logistikverband (DSLV) (Association of German Freight Forwarders and Logistics Operators) and the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) (German Federal Environment Agency): 'In order to support freight forwarders and logistics operators in their climate protection efforts, the German Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency initiated a research project on emissions monitoring in logistics chains, the results of which appear in this book. Useful background information and details of the calculation methodology make the theory of emissions reduction more comprehensible to companies,' says Jochen Flasbarth, President of the German Federal Environment Agency.

'As an introduction to the issues involved, the DSLV had already presented the fundamentals of and procedures for the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions based on draft norm prEN 16258:2011 in the guidelines published in April 2011. The present book, Calculation of CO2 Emissions in Logistics, provides the interested reader with worthwhile, more extensively elaborated details and background information for practical application,' says Mathias Krage, DSLV President.

About the book

Authors: Andre Kranke, Martin Schmied, Andrea Dorothea Schön
Title:CO2-Berechnung in der Logistik (German)
Published by: Heinrich Vogel Publishers, Munich, 2011, 336 pages, EUR 58.85, ISBN: 978-3-574-26095-7.

For further information please contact

Martin Schmied
Deputy Head of Infrastructure and Enterprises Division
Oeko-Institut, Berlin Office
Novalisstrasse 10, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 30 405085-382
Fax.: +49 30 405085-388
m.schmied@oeko.de
www.oeko.de

Andre Kranke
Managing Editor
VerkehrsRundschau
Springer Fachmedien München GmbH
Heinrich Vogel Publishers
Aschauerstrasse 30, 81549 Munich, Germany
Tel +49 89 20 30 43 2339
Fax +49 89 20 30 43 1841 Home
andre.kranke@springer.com
www.verkehrsrundschau.de

Oeko-Institut is a leading independent European research and consultancy institute working for a sustainable future. Founded in 1977, the institute develops principles and strategies for ways in which the vision of sustainable development can be realised globally, nationally and locally. It has offices in three cities in Germany: Freiburg, Darmstadt and Berlin.

Follow Oeko-Institut on Twitter! twitter.com/oekoinstitut

eco@work - fit for the future! Oeko-Institut’s e-paper. Subscribe at www.oeko.de/epaper_engl