Green Logistics: Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Logistics
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Transport Reviews, 0144-1647 print/1464-5327 online/10/000001-02 DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2010.537101 BOOK REVIEW Taylor and Francis TTRV_A_537101.sgm 10.1080/01441647.2010.537101 Transport Reviews 0144-1647 (print)/1464-5327 (online) Original Article 2010 Taylor & Francis 00 00 0000002010 Miss NihanAkyelken [email protected] Green Logistics: Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Logistics Alan McKinnon, Sharon Cullinane, Micheal Browne and Anthony Whiteing (Eds) London, Kogan Page, 2010, pp. xi+372, ISBN 978-0-7494-5678-8, £35 (pbk) The study of logistical operations is highly political. Free from bias, but politically aware, the book employs a critical and independent approach in structuring a comprehensive framework of sustainable logistics, and it proves to be a great success. It does so by deconstructing the administrative complexities, method- ological fallacies and flawed reasoning of the sole focus on the first-order effects of key indicators, especially with regard to freight transport. This provides a broader look at freight transport as the authors put transport in a wider context. This is critically important, ensuring the book sets out a list of complementary policy measures for greener logistics, both from the transport and production aspects and based on environmental, social and economic assessments. Divided into five parts, the book consists of 17 chapters. Throughout the book, the 1987 Brundtland Commission definition of sustain- able development mentioned by McKinnon in the first chapter as “the reconcilia- tion of environmental, economic and social objectives” (p. 4) has been consistently reinforced. The consideration of the social consequences of long-distance food transport by Garnett (Chapter 13), for instance, illustrates that economic and envi- ronmental criteria are complemented by social dimensions. The contribution the book makes is twofold: it provides a comprehensive review and points to road- maps for methodological approaches to key issues on the topic. These contribu- tions are made through the main argument of the book that the narrow view of the environmental externalities of logistics unnecessarily narrows down the list of policy measures, and decreases the effectiveness of the existing ones. Following a succinct review of the studies that aims to explain why and how of ‘green’ logistics, the analytical framework McKinnon proposes in the first chapter explicitly makes use of freight transport lenses for the investigation of environ- mental sustainability in logistics. The detailed and technical analysis of the diffi- culties with the assessment of the environmental impact of freight transport (Chapters 2–4) cleverly expands the focus area. This is particularly evident in the discussion of macro-level assessment, including emissions from end-users and top-down approaches, described by Cullinane and Edwards in the second chapter. One might think that the second and third parts have overlaps between chap- ters, and that the links between different policy measures are not clearly identi- fied. The latter is true to some extent as further links between the impact of decisions regarding vehicle purchase and maintenance (Chapter 11) and the discussion on transferring to greener modes (Chapter 6) would provide a deeper understanding and a more consistent policy framework. Nevertheless, the slight Vol. 31, No.4, 547–548, July 2011
Transcript of Green Logistics: Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Logistics
Transport Reviews,
0144-1647 print/1464-5327 online/10/000001-02 DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2010.537101
BOOK REVIEW
Taylor and FrancisTTRV_A_537101.sgm10.1080/01441647.2010.537101Transport Reviews0144-1647 (print)/1464-5327 (online)Original Article2010Taylor & Francis00000000002010Miss [email protected] Logistics: Improving the Environmental Sustainability of LogisticsAlan McKinnon, Sharon Cullinane, Micheal Browne and Anthony Whiteing (Eds)London, Kogan Page, 2010, pp. xi+372, ISBN 978-0-7494-5678-8, £35 (pbk)
The study of logistical operations is highly political. Free from bias, but politicallyaware, the book employs a critical and independent approach in structuring acomprehensive framework of sustainable logistics, and it proves to be a greatsuccess. It does so by deconstructing the administrative complexities, method-ological fallacies and flawed reasoning of the sole focus on the first-order effectsof key indicators, especially with regard to freight transport. This provides abroader look at freight transport as the authors put transport in a wider context.This is critically important, ensuring the book sets out a list of complementarypolicy measures for greener logistics, both from the transport and productionaspects and based on environmental, social and economic assessments. Dividedinto five parts, the book consists of 17 chapters.
Throughout the book, the 1987 Brundtland Commission definition of sustain-able development mentioned by McKinnon in the first chapter as “the reconcilia-tion of environmental, economic and social objectives” (p. 4) has been consistentlyreinforced. The consideration of the social consequences of long-distance foodtransport by Garnett (Chapter 13), for instance, illustrates that economic and envi-ronmental criteria are complemented by social dimensions. The contribution thebook makes is twofold: it provides a comprehensive review and points to road-maps for methodological approaches to key issues on the topic. These contribu-tions are made through the main argument of the book that the narrow view ofthe environmental externalities of logistics unnecessarily narrows down the list ofpolicy measures, and decreases the effectiveness of the existing ones.
Following a succinct review of the studies that aims to explain why and how of‘green’ logistics, the analytical framework McKinnon proposes in the first chapterexplicitly makes use of freight transport lenses for the investigation of environ-mental sustainability in logistics. The detailed and technical analysis of the diffi-culties with the assessment of the environmental impact of freight transport(Chapters 2–4) cleverly expands the focus area. This is particularly evident in thediscussion of macro-level assessment, including emissions from end-users andtop-down approaches, described by Cullinane and Edwards in the second chapter.
One might think that the second and third parts have overlaps between chap-ters, and that the links between different policy measures are not clearly identi-fied. The latter is true to some extent as further links between the impact ofdecisions regarding vehicle purchase and maintenance (Chapter 11) and thediscussion on transferring to greener modes (Chapter 6) would provide a deeperunderstanding and a more consistent policy framework. Nevertheless, the slight
Vol. 31, No.4, 547–548, July 2011
overlaps in the chapters were inevitable separating operational and strategicperspectives. The division is extremely useful for building scenarios relevant tothe subject, i.e. what factors to include as strategic or contextual elements. Forinstance, modal shift (Chapters 6 and 7) is taken as a contextual (external)element, whereas the emphasis on fuel efficiency and vehicle utilization and rout-ing in road freight (Chapters 9–11) is used as strategic (internal) elements of ascenario. In a way, these adaptive policy measures substitute modal shift throughmaking road freight more efficient or they help in restructuring logistics anddistribution systems. In fact, Harris et al. (Chapter 5) clearly show that trade-offsamongst goals (e.g. emissions vs. waste generation) and approaches (e.g. trans-port vs. marketing and manufacturing) support one of the main messages of thebook that transport policy should be put in a context, in this case, logistical chain.Starting with the food miles debate by Garnett (Chapter 13), the fourth sectionillustrates previous discussions regarding the reduction of the impacts caused bydistance travelled on transport and shows that second-order effects are as impor-tant. In doing so, Garnett also points to the uncertainty caused by vulnerability toexternal shocks and, in fact, this makes the three pillar system of sustainabledevelopment much more complex, forcing us to ask how to draw conclusions forproduction costs including labour costs versus transport costs in the midst of aneconomic downturn. In contrast, Allen and Browne (Chapter 14) come up with aconcrete list of policy measures for sustainable city logistics based on the threepillars.
McKinnon closes the book with policy implications drawing lessons from theUK (Chapter 17). Considering the technical and analytical tone of the previouschapters, the chapter nicely complements the normative side. The focus on thesecond-order effects of policies is evident here, rendering the illustrations viableand timely. Overall, the book provides a profound insight of ‘greening’ logistics,and should be recommended for its clarity, consistency and the wide range ofperspectives it explores.
Nihan AkyelkenSchool of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
[email protected]© 2010, Nihan Akyelken
548 Book Review
