From Moving Traffic to Shaping Cities: Why the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport Is a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity for Urban Planners

In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly declared the first-ever UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, starting in 2026. This Decade marks a rare political moment in which transport is explicitly recognised as a critical enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While transport does not have its own standalone SDG, it underpins progress on climate action, …

Is it worth waiting before communicating delivery time windows to customers?

Customers increasingly expect fast and precise delivery information, yet logistics service providers know that committing too early to delivery time windows can seriously undermine route efficiency. A recent paper tackles that tension head-on by asking a deceptively simple question: is it worth waiting before communicating delivery time windows to customers? The authors focus on next-day …

Accelerating ZET Deployment: Complementary Demand-Side Measures

Europe’s transition to zero-emission trucks (ZETs) has reached a decisive phase. While EU CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles are among the most ambitious globally, the pace of real-world deployment still lags what is needed to meet the 2030 target of roughly 35% zero-emission truck sales. The Smart Freight Centre report, with contributions from ACEA and …

A practical methodology for implementing circular solutions

The European Commission’s report, A practical methodology for implementing circular solutions, offers a concrete, operational framework for turning circular economy ambitions into implementable projects at the city and regional levels. Developed within the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), the methodology directly addresses a recurring challenge in logistics and urban systems: while circular strategies are widely adopted …

Europe’s locker potential is trapped in paperwork?

Europe’s last-mile parcel delivery system is approaching a structural breaking point. Rapid growth in e-commerce, driven by platforms such as Amazon, Temu, and Shein, combined with the expansion of recommerce via players like Vinted and eBay, and return-intensive fashion flows from Zalando, H&M, and ZARA, is overwhelming traditional door-to-door delivery and parcel shop models. As …

Beyond Materials: The Critical Role of Logistics in Circular Building Systems

The recent study Logistics for Building Circular, Biobased, and Modular: Environmental Impacts in Amsterdam, published in the Journal of Circular Economy, examines the role of logistics in circular construction practices, with a specific focus on the urban context of Amsterdam. The article analyses how logistics systems influence the environmental performance of circular, biobased, and modular …