Environmental assessment tool for freight transportation

Important results from the project

The project aims at developing and implementing a new tool for the environmental analysis of goods´ transportation, which comprehends a database covering all transport modes and a web-based calculation tool which serves transport sellers´ as well as transport buyers´ future needs to be able to effectively, easily, quickly and at low cost, without loss in quality and dependability, calculate the climate, health and environmental impact of goods´ transport chains.

Expected long term effects

The results of the project shall provide both freight transport sellers and freight transport buyers in Sweden with the opportunity of a head start in technology and thus an improved competitiveness with regard to meeting increasing demands of the increasing number of global actors for adequate information on environmental issues. Moreover, the project contributes to fulfilling the call´s targets for innovation systems by using the approach of a close cooperation between researchers in the environmental and logistics fields on one hand and the main users of the research results on the other hand.

Approach and implementation

The project´s methodoloy is to a large extent based on NTM´s well-established and well-conceived working methodoloy developed since the mid 1990s, involving: 1. Analysis of needs and recipients. This is done via an enquiry directed at NTM´s members in the introductory phase of the project. 2. Stock-taking and compilation of existing know-how, information and material with regard to data and calculation methodologies for emissions, fuel usage/energy usage, external costs and logistics of goods´ transports. This is done via a study of the relevant literature, workshops, interviews, case studies, data from the participating companies as well as the existing competence and data from previous studies. 3. Concerted choice of the final compilation, data and calculation methodology in coordination with NTM´s working group Goods & Logistics. This is done via the usual work in the working groups. 4. Provision of access to data and calculation methodology according to point no. 3 on the web by means of a specially developed IT-tool (database, calculation tool, user-friendly webpage for environmental calculations). This is done via traditional IT-development within the project, partly by the executive consortium itself, partly by a planned tender for IT-development services of one ore more consultant(s). 5. Evaluation of the user value of the project´s results. This is done via an enquiry directed at NTM´s members during the introductory as well as the closing phase of the project. 6. International cooperation and standardization. This is driven by direct contacts with various international networks, research groups, institutes etc. who are active in the goods´ transportation field, by participating in conferences, seminars, workshops, individual meetings, by plans to apply for EU-funds etc. 7. Administration after the project´s end. Suggestions of solutions for this issue are continuously discussed with the project´s financiers during the project´s course. An appropriate forum could be NTM´s member meetings which are held twice a year.