🗨 “Logistics is the backbone of a nation’s growth. Making it green is the spine of sustainable development.”
📍 Current Affairs – Economy | Environment | Infrastructure
This article was published in The Hindu.
🧩 1. Background
- India envisions becoming a strong and self-reliant nation by 2047.
- A modern and efficient logistics network is crucial to achieving this dream.
- However, this progress comes with a heavy environmental cost — logistics is among the highest carbon-emitting sectors.
- The sector is vital for connectivity and last-mile delivery, but it remains largely dependent on fossil fuels.
- Decarbonizing logistics is essential to build sustainable infrastructure without compromising growth.
📉 2. The Current Scenario
- India's logistics sector significantly contributes to the country’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.
- Transport alone contributes over 13% of global GHG emissions — road transport being the biggest culprit.
- India’s freight and passenger traffic are road-dominant, leading to a higher carbon footprint.
- Inland waterways and coastal shipping, which are cleaner, remain underutilized.
- Warehouses also consume large amounts of energy, adding to emissions due to lighting, cooling, and storage needs.
- There’s a pressing need to balance logistics growth with climate commitments.
🌱 3. Way Forward
- Shift focus from road to rail for freight — rail is electrified, efficient, and low-emission.
- Introduce electric highway corridors (e.g., Delhi–Jaipur) using overhead electrification.
- Revive inland water transport and coastal shipping for their fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
- Adopt cleaner fuels like LNG, hydrogen, and EVs for trucks, ships, and cargo carriers.
- Encourage solar-powered warehouses and green logistics parks.
- Implement smart logistics hubs powered by renewable energy and real-time tracking tech.
- The transition will reduce emissions, enhance economic competitiveness, and position India as a green logistics leader globally.
🧾 Conclusion
India's logistics sector must evolve from being carbon-heavy to climate-smart. By prioritizing cleaner transport modes, renewables, and innovative infrastructure, India can build a green and future-proof logistics ecosystem. This is not just an environmental need but a strategic move for sustainable national growth.
