GMS Green Freight Initiative (2013-2017)
The freight and logistics sector in the GMS plays a pivotal role in supporting the expansion of trade, and in turn, economic growth. A 2010 Core Environment Program study of the GMS East-West Economic Corridor – connecting Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam - found that promoting green freight through improved logistics management and fuel efficiency measures could reduce GHG emissions and lower freight company fuel costs.
During the study, a detailed freight sector assessment was carried out and found that the widespread use of old, inefficient diesel-fuelled trucks – particularly in Lao PDR and Viet Nam – was largely responsible for high emissions. Sector inefficiencies were seen as a compounding factor, characterized by a fragmented transport industry, especially for small-medium companies which lacked logistics management and capital investment. A survey of trucking companies found that 25-50% of journeys were being run with empty loads.
In 2012, consultations were conducted with government agencies and small-medium trucking companies and associations to conceptualize a Green Freight Initiative to pilot approaches to reduce emissions. The $1.2 million initiative is being implemented in target provinces in each of the three countries, and will focus on the following interventions:
- Increase access to financing for green technologies and truck fleet upgrades
- Improve logistics management to reduce empty running
- Improve driver behavior to be more fuel efficient
The project will establish a funding mechanism, and will work with 25 trucking companies in each country to reduce fuel use by 10% against a baseline. If the initiative proves successful, the Core Environment Program will work with stakeholders to investigate options for scaling up through climate change funding streams.
Resources
| File Name | Size | Modified |
|---|---|---|
| EMM-5-Paper-GMS-Green-Freight-Initiative-Pathways-Sustainable-Transport.pdf | 1 MB | 28-08-2018 |
| Green Freight Initiative VietNam Final Report.pdf | 2 MB | 21-03-2017 |
| Report on Eco-driver training Lao PDR and Viet Nam - Grutter Consulting July 2016.pdf | 980 KB | 18-08-2016 |
| GMS Green freight projects-scoping report.pdf | 342 KB | 26-11-2013 |
| Green Freight Initiative Summary.pdf | 80 KB | 30-06-2014 |
| Green Freight Cambodia.pdf | 2 MB | 17-11-2014 |
Publish Date: 12th September 2013
Last Updated: 28th August 2018
See also
Consultation Workshop on GMS Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP)
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP): The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) on CCESP will build on the key achievements of two phases of the Core Environment Program and support the implementation of the GMS Core Environment Program Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2018-2022, which was endorsed at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in 2018. The CCESP will focus on creating enabling conditions to leverage additional investment in priority areas such as (i) green technologies and sustainable infrastructure; (ii) natural resources and ecosystem services; and (iii) green growth, climate resilience and disaster risk management.
GMS Working Group on Environment 24th Annual Meeting
The 24th Annual Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group (WG) on Environment reviewed the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program Phase II and discussed the way forward. WGE AM-24 was hosted by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) with support from ADB through the GMS Environment Operations Center.
The WGE AM-24 was followed by thematic discussions that covered the proposed new programs entitled: "GMS Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program (CCESP)" and "GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP)" which are aligned with three out of seven operational priorities of Strategy 2030 approved by the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board in 2018.
The CCESP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability, while SAFSP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: promoting rural development and food security. Both programs will support ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: fostering regional cooperation and integration.