Brussels signs its own Green Deal for more sustainable urban logistics
Making urban logistics more sustainable? These 50 small and large players in Brussels are putting pen to paper! On 19 April, they met to sign the 'Brussels Green Deal on Zero Emission Urban Logistics', showing their commitment to a cleaner transport of goods - and of course, POLIS had to join!
On Wednesday 19 April, 50 companies and players from the Brussels Capital Region (BCR) signed an agreement - the so-called "Brussels Green Deal on Zero Emission Urban Logistics" - committing themselves to more sustainable urban logistics.
At the signing event, various Ministers from the Region introduced the significant highlights of the Brussels Green Deal, namely:
- Elke Van den Brandt, Minister for Mobility;
- Barbara Trachte, Minister for the Economic Transition;
- Alain Maron, Minister for the Environment.
Every day, more than 16,000 trucks and 30,000 goods vans travel through Brussels. Each inhabitant generates about 40 tonnes of transported goods. While accounting for only 17% of the kilometres travelled in Brussels, freight transport is responsible for 41% of NOx emissions, 30% of fine particle emissions and 29% of Brussels' CO2 emissions from transport. Through this Green Deal, the BCR wishes to support and promote the actions of companies that are pioneers in the transition to low-emission logistics.
By being part of a network of pioneering players, the signatories are inspired and remain informed of the solutions and good practices to be implemented. They also benefit from individualised coaching support from the Region to define and carry out their commitments. Finally, their actions are regularly highlighted by the Region and other members of the community (through newsletters, events, and more).
Our Secretary General, Karen Vancluysen, signs the 'Brussels Green Deal on Zero Emission Urban Logistics on behalf of POLIS.
"The environmental, social and health challenges that we have to face now and in the future are of such magnitude that we will only succeed together", said Alain Maron, Minister for the Environment.
"A modal shift is essential", added Elke Van den Brandt, Minister for Mobility.
The economic actors pioneering this Green Deal include both SMEs and larger enterprises, such as Delhaize, Colruyt, Ikea, AB Inbev, Bpost, Ziegler, and more. The signatories of the Green Deal aim to put all means at their disposal by 2025 to achieve the commitments described in the agreement. A follow-up of the commitments will be published every year.
Overall, the members of the Green Deal will act as ambassadors for low-emission logistics in the BCR. The commitments and objectives of each participant will be set every two years. For example, Bpost is committed to making zero-emission deliveries by 2025. The international carrier Ziegler is committed to making part of its deliveries in Brussels using cargo bikes by that date.
POLIS Network is among the signatories and it is committed to organising in the next two years site visits to facilitate the exchange of good practices about urban freight to inspire POLIS members and other stakeholders and promote the Green Deal at the European level via webinars, workshops and other dissemination actions.
For more information about the Brussels Green Deal on Zero Emission Urban Logistics, click HERE.
