17-01-2020
Urban emissions from deliveries of e-commerce orders could surge by 30% in the world’s 100 biggest cities by 2030 unless action is urgently taken to reduce the environmental impact of the last-mile ecosystem, a hard-hitting World Economic Forum report has warned.
Growing demand for e-commerce delivery will result in 36% more delivery vehicles in inner cities by 2030, and, without effective intervention, urban last-mile delivery emissions and traffic congestion are on track to increase by over 30% in the top 100 cities globally, according to ‘The Future of the Last-Mile Ecosystem’ report.
But, more positively, it analyses 24 measures – including electric vehicles, droids and parcel lockers – that could help to reduce emissions and traffic congestion by 30%, and delivery cost by 25%, compared to the “do-nothing” scenario.
“Consumer demand for the convenience of online shopping and fast delivery is rising rapidly and companies are struggling to meet this demand with sustainable delivery options,” said Christoph Wolff, Head of Mobility, World Economic Forum. “Rising congestion and emissions from e-commerce delivery are already putting stress on city traffic patterns and this pressure will only rise from growing demand unless effective intervention is quickly taken by both cities and companies.”