Climate change is a long-term shaping factor where consistent actions are required. Nearly every economic activity in urban areas depends on the movement and delivery of goods. As reported at the Roadmap for a Resource Efficient Europe (see link), a modern, resource efficient mobility system, serving both passengers and freight can contribute significantly to competitiveness and sustainability. By 2020 overall efficiency in the transport sector will deliver greater value with reduced impacts on climate change, air pollution and noise.

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Transport accounts for 19.7% of EU GHG emissions and for 23.7% of EU CO2 emissions. The total energy consumption of the transport sector accounts for 31.6% of EU energy consumption (see link). The share of transport emissions is continuously increasing and could reach more that 30% of total EU emissions by 2020 if no action is taken. Freight transport activities account for approximately one third of total transport GHG emissions. According to the Road Freight Transport Vademecum (see link), road freight transport activities account for 73% of inland transport activities and are by far the most dominant mode.

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Europe needs transport which is cleaner and more energy efficient, which could be achieved not only by means of new technologies, like hybrid and electrical motors, but also by developing more efficient urban transport solutions. The great majority of urban freight is carried by trucks, which contribute to air pollution, are noisy and take up a large share of roadspace when they are moving as well as when they are loading or unloading. Last mile delivery of goods is the less efficient part of the overall supply chain. The specific conditions for urban freight vary, depending on the location, layout, infrastructure, policies, trade activity, and consumer behavior of different cities.

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The proposed project is a European innovative logistics platform for increasing the efficiency of urban freight transport with respect to minimizing environmental effects. The issues that the platform handles, include:

- Minimizing the number of freight movements and the distances required to carry them out;

- Making maximum use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to increase the efficiency of deliveries;

- Reducing air and noise pollution from freight movements, which are totally aligned with the challenges that urban freight transport has to face until 2030, according to the European Commission’s Study on Urban Freight Transport (see link).

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At the end of the project the following outcomes are expected:

• Reduced yearly GHG emissions (i.e. CO2) by approximately 0.427% in Greece and non-GHG emission (i.e. NOX) by approximately 0.402% in Greece, 0.103% in Czech and 0.002% in Italy;

• Yearly emission savings of routing operations of 5 demonstrators equal to: 42.255tn NOx, 4.632tn of PM, 73.133tn of CO, 1.869tn of NH3, 8,885.697tn of CO2, 8.939tn of CH4, 10.564tn of VOC and 8.129tn of SO2;

• Update of air quality legislation and Directive 2009/33/EC;

• Additional SMEs integrating to their business environment GreenYourRoute logistics platform for last mile green delivery in urban regions minimizing environmental impact;

• Verified innovative logistics platform for last mile delivery by EU-ETV Pilot Programme which supports and promotes eco-innovation and a green certificate provided by GreenYourRoute Company attesting that the clients that purchase the GreenYourRoute product and apply it according to the guidelines are driving cleaner, implementing sustainable mobility in urban regions;

• More than 900 representatives of SMEs are informed in 3 different EU member states (Czech Republic, Greece and Italy) through workshops and webinars about their potential environmental and operational cost benefit by using GreenYourRoute platform in their daily routing operations. Additionally, more than 3000 individuals are expected to be informed about the benefits of GreenYourRoute platform through regulars dissemination activities;

• At least 12 SMEs adopt green procurement rules in their business environment;

• Raise awareness on the environmentally-friendliest freight distribution planning;

• Highlight the fact that turning to green operations doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of operations.