State-of-the-art indicators will be used by the City of Tokyo to measure fuel efficiency of freight trucks, enabling the shipping industry to choose the most environmentally friendly freight companies.
The Challenge
Tokyo plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% below 2000 levels by 2030, and the transport sector is set to reduce CO2 emissions by 60%. Targeting the freight transport industry will be important to reach these goals, as trucks account for approximately 40% of CO2 emissions from vehicles.
The Solution
The City of Tokyo seeks to reduce CO2 emissions by making freight trucks' efficiency completely transparent. Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) launched the world's first fuel efficiency indicator for freight transport by collecting data from 960,000 trucks each month, analyzing more than seven million samples, and categorizing them in 60 different segments based on parameters such as type of trucks, fuel, and total weight of the vehicles. Based on the indicators, TMG evaluates CO2 reduction efforts by freight companies in a quantitative manner and encourages freight companies to make further efforts. Freight companies that can show progress will be prioritized by shippers, and their efforts will be visible on the trucks with a one to three-star rating system. In total, 264 freight companies are participating in the program, and the number of participating vehicles exceeds 10,000 trucks. As freight trucks are expensive to replace with more environmentally friendly ones, promoting a more efficient driving style is a more viable approach for many companies. If all trucks in Tokyo implemented eco-driving, an 8% reduction of CO2 emissions could be expected in the transport sector.
Economic Benefits – By driving more eco-friendly, a 20% reduction in fuel consumption has been achieved, saving the companies on operating costs each month.
Health Benefits – According to a survey, eco-driving has contributed to a 49% reduction in traffic accidents.
About Cities100
Presented by C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), Sustainia and Realdania – Cities100 2017 showcases leading solutions to urban climate challenges in five sectors: Energy, Waste, Adaptation, Mitigation and Transportation.
Available online and in print, Cities100 provides stakeholders an accessible format to explore achievable solutions for climate action in cities, and will be a useful tool for relevant groups ranging from impact investors and development organizations, to mayors and city governments. You can access the full Cities100 2017 publication online here.
- Benefits
- Economic
- Health
- Emissions Reduction
- 20% reduction of CO2 emissions has been achieved for trucks participating in the program