LEARN project Launch
Brussels, 23 November 2016 – A new global project was launched to support businesses that want to reduce their carbon footprint across their global logistics supply chain. The Logistics Emissions Accounting and Reduction Network project (LEARN) is implemented by a consortium of 13 organizations and industry associations, led by Smart Freight Centre, and funded by the European Commission.
The global freight sector ships 16 trillion US dollars in export merchandise, good for 20% of global GDP. Freight and logistics are also responsible for about 6% of greenhouse gas emissions.
“As companies and countries are trying to put the Paris Climate Agreement into practice, freight and logistics has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership.” says Sophie Punte, Smart Freight Centre’s Executive Director.
The LEARN project will accelerate emissions measurement, reporting and verification, or MRV, that will allow companies to identify reduction actions and track progress. Companies are supported through guidance, training, testing of MRV in real logistics supply chains, and setting research and policy priorities. The project partners will work with a wider network in the development of a blueprint for a label to reward businesses who pro-actively set the standard in improving their logistics efficiency.
As a growing multi-stakeholder network, LEARN includes the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC), a voluntary partnership of companies, industry associations and programs. The LEARN project builds on and seeks to improve the ‘GLEC Framework for Logistics Emissions Methodologies’ that combines existing methods and fills gaps, making carbon accounting work for industry.
“We are thrilled that a growing number of companies and initiatives are adopting the GLEC Framework”, says Alan Lewis, GLEC Director with Smart Freight Centre. “The LEARN project will go one step further to make accounting of logistics emissions by companies common practice as well as increasing the understanding of other important stakeholders.”
The first LEARN International Workshop will be held on 4 and 5 April 2017 in Brussels and open to all interested stakeholders.
