Reducing carbon emissions whilst returning to economic growth

PA Consulting Group (PA) addresses the changing demand for transport services and questions the sustainability of those services by exploring alternative scenarios and challenging current approaches with new ones. By taking new views, we believe that greater confidence can be achieved in the development of both market policies and company strategies.

Organisations need to address not only the changing pattern of demand for transport services, but also the perceived need to reduce their carbon emissions – in short, to become more sustainable. We believe the extent of change needed to meet the carbon emissions reduction targets, and the potential modal shift this could lead to, means that the next few years are going to be the most challenging for all transport organisations.

To begin to address the challenge of long-term sustainability, the new assumptions and approaches to transport thinking, you need to consider the following:

• Understand current dynamics of how changes in demand may result from economic and social factors coupled with the concern over climate change

• Think long term about possible future scenarios; we use the ‘Future Worlds’ approach to investigate the effects and to develop suitable policies and actions

• Explore the uncertainties involved using methods such as ‘Lean Systems Thinking’ to resolve issues where current linear models are unable to cope

• Consider the vulnerabilities that exist within your supply chain and understand the possible impacts on your own sustainability.

To explore our latest thinking, develop fresh perspectives on issues faced by the transport sector or to discuss what the future may hold for you, please contact us now.