Viksit Bharat is not only a imaginative and prescient. It is a dedication to having a stronger, self-reliant India by 2047. At its core lies inclusive growth, making certain that progress reaches each citizen, each enterprise, and each area. But can we actually obtain this objective and not using a logistics sector that’s giant, environment friendly and future-ready? From seamless provide chains to last-mile connectivity, an environment friendly, scalable logistics community is the energy of equitable and sustained progress.
In this progress journey, whereas infrastructure, effectivity and accessibility are essential for an inclusive logistics sector, there’s one issue that can not be neglected — the atmosphere and its prioritisation are completely crucial to construct a future-ready, resilient logistics community. India’s logistics sector, now one of the most carbon-intensive in the world, should endure a inexperienced transformation. As the nation strikes in direction of a web zero carbon emission by 2070, it’s crucial to cut back emissions of transportation, warehousing, and provide chain emissions.
Carbon value of mobility
This sector bears the brunt of intense carbon emissions, primarily from oil combustion. It contributes about 13.5% of the nation’s complete greenhouse fuel emissions, with highway transport alone making up over 88% (International Energy Agency (IEA, 2020). Nearly 90% of passenger journey and 70% of freight motion are depending on roads, with vehicles accountable for 38% of CO2 emissions (IEA, 2023).
Domestic aviation accounts for round 4%, whereas coastal and inland delivery provides to the emissions load however is considerably lower than the highway freight motion. Government insurance policies envisage a speedy growth by 2030 —cargo and passenger motion on inland waterways is about to triple, and coastal delivery cargo motion will enhance by 1.2 instances. This progress not solely fuels financial momentum but additionally maintains its scalability and sustainability objectives.
However, this situation is not only restricted to highway freight motion. The warehousing sector, which helps freight motion, is one other main emitter. Together, these elements create a urgent situation. How we strike the proper stability between progress and sustainability is the query. The time to behave is now.
Futuristic approaches
Global examples present a robust basis for this transition, with nations akin to China and the United States efficiently shifting freight transport from highway to rail. Rail freight considerably reduces emissions in comparison with highway transport. China has invested closely in increasing its rail community, and the share of the railways is sort of 50%. The United States has additionally embraced this shift, making rail one of the early decarbonised freight choices. India ought to improve the share of the railways in freight transport to cut back emissions and enhance effectivity — rail has been an early adopter of electrification and is a extra sustainable, nearly zero-carbon emission mode of transport.
Road freight transport can’t be neglected, and desires a targeted structural change to make it cleaner. India has already taken a daring step on this course with a current initiative by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways — the introduction of overhead electrical wires alongside highways to energy electrical vehicles. The first pilot venture on the Delhi-Jaipur hall might be a breakthrough in lowering emissions from freight motion whereas making certain excessive effectivity and financial viability.
Coastal delivery and inland waterways have immense potential for decarbonisation. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) goals to slash international delivery emissions by 50% by 2050 (in comparison with 2008 ranges), pushing trade to undertake cleaner fuels akin to ammonia, hydrogen, LNG, biofuels, methanol, and electrical energy. India can fast-track its inexperienced transition by introducing LNG-powered vessels, solar-assisted electrical boats, and even electrical or biofuel-run barges. These emission-cutting steps can hold freight motion environment friendly and sustainable.
Air transport stays one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise on account of its heavy reliance on refined fuels, making the transition a expensive problem. However, developments in sustainable aviation fuels and effectivity enhancements in different transport modes may assist offset emissions.
Warehousing, typically outweaving in the carbon equation, is one other vital contributor to emissions on account of excessive power consumption. Transitioning to renewable power sources akin to photo voltaic, wind, and geothermal energy can drastically lower the carbon footprint of warehouses.
Moving forward
Decarbonising India’s logistics sector is not only about reducing emissions. It is about constructing a extra aggressive, resilient and future-ready trade. India’s logistics sector is on the brink of a change, and decarbonisation is the key to making sure sustainable progress. By scaling up rail freight, electrifying highway transport, adopting cleaner maritime fuels, and making warehouses extra energy-efficient, India can construct a high-performing logistics community with a diminished environmental influence. The time to behave is now, and with the proper insurance policies and investments, India can lead the means in making a cleaner, greener, and extra environment friendly logistics ecosystem.
The highway to a greener future has been paved. It is now time to speed up.
Sovini Mondal is a Research Associate at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi. Sanjib Pohit is Professor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi. The views expressed are private
Published – April 19, 2025 12:08 am IST
