Source: AFP
An environmental pressure group on Wednesday denounced the air cargo industry’s rising emissions, which have been boosted by global supply chain difficulties and growing online commerce.
According to Stand Earth, a US-Canadian group, pollution from the air cargo sector has increased by 25 percent since 2019.
A report from the group four that market distortions caused by the travel restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions have strengthened the air cargo sector.
“Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, air freight transport was understandably dominated by perishable goods, time-sensitive deliveries and luxury goods,” the report said.
The pandemic has forced industries to turn to air freight to transport a wider variety of goods.
“What many assumed was a pandemic anomaly, however, is in fact not only continuing, but in some cases increasing,” it said.
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“While FedEx, UPS and Amazon celebrate a new norm in the shipping industry, their success comes at a terrible cost,” the report says.
He said these “big three” players in the sector were responsible for 27 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from air cargo — the equivalent of 4.45 million homes in the United States.
Stand Earth blasted Amazon for its express delivery business strategy — with same-day or overnight delivery with Prime membership — for increasing freight gas emissions.
Online commerce has exploded in recent years, growing from $2.1 trillion in 2019 to $3.6 trillion in 2023, according to data from the US Department of Commerce.
While the group targets specialist air cargo carriers in its exposure, they make up only half the market, with commercial airlines carrying the rest on passenger flights.
According to the airline trade association IATA, 62 million tonnes of air cargo is expected to be shipped this year, up 7.6% from 2019.
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Only one percent of global trade volume travels by air, but in terms of value air freight accounts for 35 percent.
Source: AFP