Implementing sustainable logistics operations is now a necessity, says experts

Logistics, customs and corporate supply chain experts attending the closing ceremony of the 2^nd Annual Global Logistics Forum held at Park Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi yesterday (Wednesday 23 November 2011), unanimously agreed on the importance of employing sustainable and green practices in logistics operations throughout the region, and encouraging governments to pass regulations that would persuade businesses to build sustainable practices into their operations.

According to Dr. Frank Straube Managing Director, TU Berlin Chair of Logistics, Member of German Logistics Association (BVL), while the region is not an early adopter of green technology, and with the tremendous pressure clients and stakeholders exert on logistics companies to go green, they might still find difficulties in implementing sustainable practices as there are no set standards on how to apply them.

He explained that to limit global warming to 2°C, until 2020, CO₂ reductions of 30% will be necessary, and unfortunately although many companies are aware of the negative impact their unsustainable practices have on the environment, they have failed to demonstrate their social responsibility and commence integrating environmentally friendly technologies into their operations. “Human morality won’t solve the problem of global warming, so governments have started issuing regulations and laws that will prevent any further increase of CO₂ emissions in certain industries”, said Dr. Straube.

“It is now our international responsibility to assess our methods and try to reduce the carbon footprint of the logistics industry within the region, and perhaps one method to achieve the desired result is to encourage governments to reevaluate how wealth is measured and find a correlation between the GDP and CO₂ emissions”, concluded Dr. Straube.

The forum also featured several interactive panel sessions and two workshops on improving regulation standards to foster growth in logistics and affirm the UAE’s position as a competitive player in global logistics, in addition to building sustainability into logistics operations.

The 2^nd Annual Global Logistics Forum is organized by Abu Dhabi University, the Centre of Excellence for Logistics and Supply Chain Management, AIM Events, and TU Berlin with “Abu Dhabi Ports Company” as the platinum sponsor, the 3-day forum entitled “Developing a Unified Logistics Environment that Fosters Growth” attracted decision makers from government organizations, customs and transport regulators, heads and directors the logistics industry, air cargo, shipping and freight operators.