Social Sustainability

Urban Logistics

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Definition

Urban logistics is the system of freight movement within cities: delivery to shops, construction supply, waste collection, servicing, and the last-mile parcel delivery exploded by e-commerce. Freight vehicles account for a substantial minority of urban traffic and a disproportionate share of its emissions and danger; decarbonisation pathways include cargo bikes and electric vans for last mile, urban consolidation centres, off-peak delivery, micro-hubs, and zero-emission zones now announced in dozens of cities.

References

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This reference provides supporting context for how “Urban Logistics” is defined and used.

www.itf-oecd.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

Overview

How it is used

The field structures city freight strategies, zero-emission delivery zones, retailer logistics redesign, and low-emission vehicle procurement.

Why it matters

Cities cannot decarbonise traffic while ignoring the vans; urban logistics is freight's last — and fastest-growing — urban frontier.