Measuring sustainability in logistics: a GHG assessment model for intermodal logistics networks

Enhancing the precision of carbon accounting not only improves climate policy design, but also contributes directly to sustainability goals by enabling more targeted and accountable emission reduction strategies. Therefore, accurate carbon inventories are foundational to evidence-based climate action and sustainable development planning. This study estimates the carbon emissions of Hunan Province from 2016 to 2020 using the sectoral approach and energy activity data across four major sectors—industrial production, thermal power generation, transportation, and residential life. Emission factors (EFs) were drawn from three different sources: direct measurements, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) default values, and published literature. An improved Monte Carlo simulation method was employed to assess the uncertainty of carbon emission accounting associated with different EF sources. The experimental results indicated that carbon emissions calculated based on the literature and default EFs were systematically higher than those derived from empirical measurements, primarily due to discrepancies in the industrial and power generation sectors. In a representative year (2017), the carbon emission estimated based on measured EFs produced the narrowest confidence intervals, reflecting lower uncertainty (−5.31–8.17%), while the uncertainties of carbon emissions calculated using the literature and default EFs were −6.88–9.03% and −5.77–9.94%, respectively. The industrial carbon emissions were the dominant source of overall uncertainty, while the transportation carbon emission had a comparatively minor impact. Importantly, across all departments, the use of measured EFs significantly reduced the uncertainty of carbon inventories, reinforcing the value of locally calibrated data. These findings underscore the urgent need for improved EF measurement systems and standardized accounting practices to support the reliability of subnational carbon inventories.

Collaborative case studies and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) play an important role in education now. Researchers find that Computer Assisted Collaboration Engineering (CACE) and Process Support Systems (PSS) can support the collaborative process well. There is little research indicates that what kind of CACE is useful to support the group case studies in the CSCL settings. In this paper, we design an easy and simple PSS to support college students' collaborative group case studies and find out whether the system can work well. We basically do the system analysis with the Seven-Layer Model of Collaboration (SLMC) model and CACE/PSS. Then the Discussion Platform for student case studies is developed with the agile method on the WAMP platform (Windows/Linux+ Apache+ Mysql+ Php). Finally, the PSS has been tested in a case study of a China university course throughout one semester by 9 student groups. Survey data has been collected to evaluate the system and generate conclusions.

Methane emission from enteric is a sub-category considered under the Agriculture sector greenhouse gas emissions by UNFCCC, thus Indonesia developed calculation on enteric CH4 EF for ruminant using Tier-2 method as country-specific emission factors (EF). Indonesia has huge amount of beef cattle population, which contributes significant amount to national enteric methane emission. The aim of this study was to estimate enteric methane EF for beef cattle in Indonesia using IPCC Tier-2 method. The EF generated from this study is then used to estimate the methane emitted from beef cattle. Data on beef cattle population was obtained from BPS, data on energy content of feed, feed intake and digestibility were compiled from laboratory analysis and published paper. Equations were adopted and followed the instruction of IPCC 2006. Local cattle has different CH4 EF among each sub-category, which are ranging from 18.18 to 55.89 Kg head-1 yr-1, with the average of 36.75  head-1 yr-1. Imported beef cattle has lower CH4 EF (25.49 kg head-1 yr-1) than the average for local beef cattle. Overall, the national CH4 EF of beef cattle calculated by using IPCC Tier-2 method in Indonesia is 33.14 head-1 yr-1. The value is lower than default EF from IPCC for Asia country (47 kg head-1 yr-1). The conclusion is enteric CH4 EF for beef cattle in Indonesia calculated using Tier-2 method shows the real livestock system in Indonesia condition. Further research needed to be addressed are calculation of EFs for various breeds and feeding systems, since large variations of breeds and types of feed among provinces in Indonesia.

Peatlands are the world’s largest storage of soil organic carbon. While natural peatlands act as sinks of atmospheric carbon, drainage and disturbance (e.g., due to land use and climate change) turn peatlands into net carbon sources. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands are therefore part of national GHG-emission reports, guided by the IPCC wetlands supplement. Herein, default emission factors (EF) are defined both for drained and rewetted peatlands, the former split into tropical and boreal/temperate wetlands, the latter further sub-categorized into nutrient poor and rich peatlands. These default emission factors are to date largely based on a limited number of static chamber-based studies, many measured over relatively short periods of time (1-3 years). As carbon flux measurements on peatlands have gained more attention, recent publications have added several new datasets to the EF calculations, significantly reducing the EF and narrowing confidence intervals. However, the final values are still almost entirely derived from chamber-based measurements with inherent limitations and uncertainties. The Eddy-Covariance (EC) method is an alternative, established method to quantify carbon fluxes from ecosystems, spatially and temporally integrated (typically every 30 min throughout the year, representing a “flux-footprint” covering a whole ecosystem). As EC-based measurements are increasingly applied and such data are now available from several disturbed peatlands over several years, it is plausible to revise the default EFs. In this study we compile global EC time series for CO2 fluxes from disturbed peatlands of different land use categories with a focus on drained and rewetted peatlands affected by no or by  minor extensive management practices.  We investigate the diurnal, seasonal and annual variability of the fluxes. The net carbon emissions are compared to the EFs currently in use. With available ancillary data such as climate, water table depths, nutrients, ecosystem type and (succession-) state of the ecosystem we asses controlling factors for carbon fluxes. This investigation yields important context to evaluate the uncertainty and reliability of default emission factors for disturbed peatlands. Additionally, we apply a process-based model (CoupModel) to an own study-site to generate a higher-tier emission factor, including seasonality and climate variations.

As a new mode of transportation, the underground logistics system (ULS) has become one of the solutions to the problems of environmental pollution and traffic congestion. Considering the environmental and economic factors in urban logistics, this paper conducts comprehensive design and optimization research on the network nodes and passages of urban underground logistics and proposes a relatively complete framework for a sustainable underground logistics network. A hybrid method is proposed, which includes the set cover model used to perform the first location of urban underground logistics nodes, the fuzzy clustering method applied to classify the located logistics nodes into the first-level and second-level nodes considering the congestion in different urban areas of the city and a mixed integer programming model proposed to optimize and design the underground logistics passage to find optimal passage parameters at every underground logistics node. Based on the above hybrid method, a sustainable underground logistics network framework including all-levels logistics nodes and passages is formed, with a subdistrict of Nanjing as a case study. The discussion of results shows that this underground logistics network framework proposal is very effective in reducing logistics time cost, exhaust emission and congestion cost. It provides support for decisions in the design and development of urban sustainable underground logistics networks.

International audience

This study clarifies the impact of global supply chain risks on global logistics companies, with a focus on the potential implications for sustainable supply chain management. The study employs the vector auto-regression model to examine the relationship between the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) and the stock prices of global logistics companies, yielding the following results. First, the GSCPI does not have a statistically significant effect on most global logistics firms, except for shipping companies, which tend to be negatively impacted by supply chain disruptions. The t-statistics of the GSCPI on air cargo, integrated logistics, and pipeline companies were below the threshold of 1.291, corresponding to a 90% confidence level, which indicates that these results were not statistically significant. Therefore, logistics companies should prioritize the development of resilient and sustainable supply chain strategies incorporating alternative energy sources, such as liquefied hydrogen, ammonia, green methanol, and liquefied natural gas, to enhance their ability to respond to unexpected situations. Second, contrary to other logistics sectors, shipping enterprises have been positively impacted by the GSCPI, suggesting that they may find new opportunities during periods of global instability. By adopting eco-friendly fuel alternatives and green technologies, shipping companies can capitalize on these opportunities and contribute to the global transition toward sustainable logistics practices. These findings suggest that global logistics companies, including pipeline, air cargo, and integrated logistics companies, should develop resilient global supply chain management strategies that incorporate supply chain platforms, nearshoring, and import diversification. This study offers important implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers, emphasizing the role of sustainable energy solutions in stabilizing global supply chains.

This paper outlines general methods, calculation models and some available software for the calculation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in logistics activities. General calculation formulas are presented mostly for transportation by truck, but by train as well. Listed are CO2 emission factors (EFs) for the different types of fuels and partially average numbers for the various transport carriers. The relevance of the calculation of CO2 emissions in the logistics sector is described to show the growing importance of sustainability in the world of logistics.

Standardized logistics emission calculation in inland navigation: Status quo and challenges ahead

Methane emissions from anaerobic sludge digesters in Mexico: On-site determination vs. IPCC Tier 1 method

Wastewater treatment (WWT) is applied for environmental protection and water reclamation. However, this activity has been identified as a source of methane (CH4), contributing to climate change. WWT (municipal and industrial) is estimated to produce 8 to 11% to overall CH4 emissions. In order to apply effective mitigation strategies in the water sector, a more precise inventory of CH4 emission should be accomplished. The application of the Tier 1 methodology in the Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) results in rough estimations, as default emission factors are used. An effort should be done for determining actual emission factors for the more representative treatment processes in a given region or country. In this work, a detailed inventory of CH4 emissions form municipal wastewater management in Mexico was obtained, based on the Tier 1 IPCC methodology. In addition, on-site CH4 emission measurements in five stabilization ponds (SP) were realized. The total CH4 emissions generated by municipal WWT in Mexico were 600.4 Gigagrams (Gg) for year 2010. Also, the IPCC (theoretical) estimations showed that CH4 emissions were overestimated if compared with the results obtained in the five sampled facilities. The on-site emission factors obtained showed wide variation as they are specific to each sampled system and to their particular environmental and operating conditions. In Mexico, the value of 0.431 kg CH4/kg BOD removed (0.110 kg CH4/m3 treated water) may be used for SP with good operational practices.

"Road transportation activities are major contributors of nitrogen oxides emissions to the air. The impact on the growth of NOx emission levels is found to be strongly correlated with the traffic intensities on highways. Various types of emission models performing emission assessment of traffic-related pollutants have been developed, but few of them were developed by using real-world measurements of NOx concentrations in ambient air. The most convenient sites to perform measurements in real-world conditions are road tunnels. This paper presents a comparison of HBEFA model NOx emission calculations and NOx emission measured in a short tunnel in the Czech Republic. Simultaneously, measured time-resolved NOx concentration and traffic activity counting were performed in the Zeleny most tunnel in the Czech Republic. The experimental work yielded reliable results of the mutual correlation of NOx level and traffic intensity in the tunnel section with statistical evidence. Emission factors from HBEFA emission model for road transport were applied and compared with the results from several measurement campaigns in the Czech Republic. It was found that calculated NOx emissions differed from measured NOx emissions due to the overestimation of light vehicles emissions and underestimation of high-duty vehicles emissions."

Digitalization revolutionizes business with the growing influx of technological innovation, possibly fueling the transition toward a more sustainable way of value creation. Apart from hardware-oriented mega-trends like robotics, it is mainly the software-based digital technologies that create fundamental change in processes, operations, functions, and even entire business models. Apart from the sheer introduction of the individual technologies to different application areas of the transportation and logistics sector, a clear picture of the prerequisites and expectable impacts of a holistic digital transformation is still not available though. In this chapter the authors address the research gap with a profound insight into theory and practice of digitalization in the transportation and logistics sector. Moreover, they develop a methodology for a structured evaluation of the digital transformation. The evaluation approach considers economic, ecological, and social dimensions at different levels of planning focusing on the respective requirements and the influences to be gained. With such a structured evaluation approach, researchers and decision-makers from practice are given a tool at hand to consider the extensive effects of digital transformation.

Calculation of Emissions from Transport Services and their use for the Internalisation of External Costs in Road Transport

Cooperation and coordination are integral components to the success of an interorganizational collaboration and strategic alliance. However, we have limited knowledge on the underlying mechanism of the interplay between cooperation and coordination particularly in a limited time span. In this study we conduct a case study of a large-scale scientific collaboration and reveal how cooperation and coordination is achieved using a practice lens. Our analysis shows how cooperation and coordination is achieved through practices of competition or contestation, opportunity seeking, and intervention. We contribute to explaining how cooperation and coordination can be attained in a limited time span while explicating the practice lens of cooperation and coordination. Additionally, we also contribute to the literature on scientific collaboration in describing how interests and actions are aligned in the particular context.