Expert Voices - Freight on the Move: How to Decarbonise Urban Logistics Without Compromising Efficiency

Expert Voices - Freight on the Move: How to Decarbonise Urban Logistics Without Compromising Efficiency

In this edition of Expert Voices, we welcomed Henrik Gudmundsson (CONCITO), who shared practical insights on the realities of decarbonising urban logistics in Europe. As cities aim to cut emissions, they face the challenge of making supply chains more sustainable while maintaining efficiency and competitiveness. Together, we explored the trade-offs between electrification, optimisation, and long-term climate goals, and reflected on how urban logistics can adapt to these pressures. 

Henrik described freight decarbonisation as a complex, multi-actor challenge shaped by three key dilemmas: Limited urban space, the need to reduce environmental impacts without disrupting essential services, and governance gaps that limit city control over freight flows. Electrification, while essential, is progressing too slowly and must be paired with logistics optimisation, such as consolidating deliveries, sharing capacity, and maximising return loads, to achieve real gains. He highlighted Utrecht’s construction logistics hub, which cut costs and CO₂ emissions by around 70%, as an example of what’s possible.

Key Takeaways from the Session:

• Address multiple challenges at once: Balance space constraints, environmental goals, and governance limitations

• Combine electrification with optimisation: Consolidation, shared resources, and efficient backhauls are crucial alongside cleaner vehicles.

• Choose the right technology: Reserve hydrogen and synthetic fuels for sectors that cannot yet be electrified; drones and bots have limited relevance for dense cities.

• Look beyond the Global North: Support rapid zero-emission logistics uptake in the Global South through targeted investment and knowledge exchange. 

Our guest speaker – Henrik Gudmundsson

Henrik Gudmundsson is a Senior Consultant at Concito, Denmark’s leading green think tank, specialising in sustainable urban development, transport, and mobility. With a background in environmental planning and a PhD from Copenhagen Business School, he has extensive experience in research, policy, and practice, including work with the European Green Capital Award.

About Expert Voices

At MobiliseYourCity, we love talking about sustainable mobility - especially with the people driving real change. Expert Voices is our 30-minute interview format where we sit down one-on-one with people shaping urban mobility. These are not lectures or speeches, they're open, thoughtful conversations that explore what experts are thinking and how they’re tackling complex, day-to-day challenges in the field.

The recording of the session has been uploaded to our YouTube channel.