COFRET - Carbon Footprint of Freight Transport (EU 7th Framework Program)

Background

In order to keep the effects of climate change to an acceptable level, the European Union (EU) has committed to limiting global warming to less than two degrees compared to pre-industrialization levels. To achieve this goal, developed countries and regions, including the EU, must reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020 and by a further 60-80% by 2050 compared to the 1990 baseline. The transport sector accounts for a significant proportion of total emissions and its emissions must be recorded, monitored and made comparable, particularly due to increasing transport volumes.

The aim of the 30-month COFRET project, which is being carried out by a project consortium of fourteen European partners, is to develop a method for calculating emissions along supply chains that is suitable as the basis for developing a pan-European standard. Accordingly, the method is to cover different types of consignments and transport, means of transport and transport relations both at the level of the shipping companies and logistics service providers. In addition to recording CO2 emissions, other greenhouse gases such as CH4 and N2O are also taken into account.

Procedure

The first step is to systematically analyze existing methods, tools and data sources that can be included in the development of the methodology. In addition, the user needs and experiences of companies as well as further technical developments are examined. Based on a comparative analysis, missing elements in the existing procedures can also be identified and included against the background of a holistic approach. The methodology developed in the next step will be transferred into a software prototype in the further course of the project. The methodology will then be validated by using the process in companies. The practical applicability will be tested and evaluated through cross-industry use in several supply chains.

Intended results

COFRET will provide a methodology that enables stakeholders and users to calculate emissions along the entire supply chain. The cross-company approach will provide companies with procedures to quantify their environmental footprint and initiate activities to improve their carbon footprint. Further information can be found on the website: https: //cordis.europa.eu/project/id/265879/de.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Clausen

Funding and partners

This project has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 265879.