[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ module_class=”reverse-columns-mobile” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ text_font=”roboto-regular||||||||” text_text_color=”#003a7c” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||15px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
As the climate crisis unfolds, globalisation is no longer tied simply to a logistics system that is functioning, but one that is also environmentally friendly. Solutions for this are being developed at the K\u00fchne Center for Sustainable Trade and Logistics.<\/p>\n
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[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ text_font=”roboto-regular||||||||” text_text_color=”#003a7c” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||15px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Credits: Uni Z\u00fcrich: Vision Inspires, Marco Blessano<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]The clue is in the name. The new K\u00fchne Center for Sustainable Trade and Logistics receives its research funding from the K\u00fchne Foundation. In the United States, such funding has long been the norm, explains Director Ralph Ossa, Chairman of the Department of Economics and the K\u00fchne Foundation Professor of International Trade at the University of Zurich. What is more: \u201cThis funding is completely transparent, and of course there is no duty of loyalty in our teaching and research.\u201d
\nThe importance of this independence in the controversial issue of globalisation is obvious. Whilst much of society is convinced that Germany, in particular, benefits greatly from global trade, many trade agreements are hampered by the doubts of those who think otherwise. For example, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US is on hold, and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU was ratified much later by Germany. <\/p>\n
The problem here is that there is no simple solution. Few parameters are fixed, as recently demonstrated by the COVID-19 crisis, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical changes. Many interdependencies are highly complex and assessing these is also a balancing act. Is the key priority here how goods are traded most efficiently and the economic prosperity that is associated with it, or are the demo-cratic interests of people and the protection of the environment more important than economic prosperity? <\/p>\n
The research centre, which was founded in 2019, addresses precisely these and other questions relating to the role of world trade in combating climate change. The scientists at the K\u00fchne Center \u2013 which is based on a long-term cooperation between the K\u00fchne Foundation and the University of Zurich \u2013 want to rethink the existing world trade system in order to pave the way for more sustainable globalisation.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”dtb-sticky” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_sidebar area=”et_pb_widget_area_7″ show_border=”off” admin_label=”Werbung Startseite \/ Artikel” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][et_pb_sidebar area=”et_pb_widget_area_9″ show_border=”off” admin_label=”Werbung Artikel” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.logistics-pilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Uni_zuerich-@-Universitat-Zurich-Vision-Inspires_4C.jpg” parallax=”on” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”425px||125px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” bottom_divider_style=”waves2″ bottom_divider_color=”#DFE6EE” bottom_divider_height=”99px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ text_font=”roboto-regular||||||||” text_text_color=”#003a7c” global_colors_info=”{}”]The K\u00fchne Center for Sustainable Trade and Logistics is at the University of Zurich.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
The vision is clearly defined: \u201cOur core message is that trade should not be viewed simply as the problem, but as part of the solution,\u201d Ossa stressed. Sustainability is usually about mitigating damage, for example through introducing lower volumes, greener modes of transport and more sustainable energy sources. \u201cThe assumption is that local consumption is automatically green.\u201d Many people associate international trade, in particular, with harmful emissions during transportation.But this is usually not true at all. \u201cIn agriculture, for example, 90 per cent of emissions are caused by production and only 10 per cent by transportation,\u201d explained the professor. One example of this is apples sourced from New Zealand, which have a better climate footprint than locally sourced apples when in season over there. How come? The energy-intensive storage of local fruits in cold stores means that fruit from New Zealand is environmentally more advantageous despite sea transport. <\/p>\n
Researchers have therefore been working for over a year as part of the study entitled \u201cA quantitative analy-sis of sustainable globalisation\u201d to create mathematical models of the global economy for use in predictions. \u201cIn a fictitious example, we looked at how world trade would develop if every state worldwide imposed a tax of USD\u00a0100 per ton of CO2 equivalent,\u201d Ossa reported.<\/p>\n
Initial interim results are already available. \u201cThe foreign trade ratio, i.e. the ratio of trade to gross domestic product, would be as high in a sustainable world as it is today,\u201d reported the director. \u201cNevertheless, the model calculation also shows that global CO2 emissions would be reduced by almost 30 per cent.\u201d The main catalyst here is greener sourcing. \u201cWhen households and companies source their goods from more environmentally friendly countries, this significantly reduces emissions,\u201d stated the professor. <\/p>\n
Ossa does not expect that such a tax would ever be enforced. \u201cBut it would simplify decision-making processes for businesses if states exercised their regulatory role more effectively.\u201d This also applies to consumers, whose decision \u2013 according to analyses on sustainable trade \u2013 is crucial. It would be much easier for them to assess the impact of climate change if this were already reflected in prices or, in economic terms, if all externalities were internalised. \u201cUntil now, this has only been possible for individual companies or within the framework of corporate social responsibility. So this is already one way in which we can see politics has failed,\u201d explained the director. <\/p>\n
The study, due to be published in the first half of 2023, is based on the preliminary work for the Sustainable Global Index, which will be released regularly in the future. This shows how close trade is to the ideal as it stands. \u201cSince about 2001\/2, the index values have been worse because lots more was imported from China, so the sourcing hasn\u2019t exactly been \u2018green\u2019,\u201d reported Ossa. But there is also a positive trend: \u201cSince 2012, the index\u2019s values have been moving in the right direction again, given that the amount of emissions in China has been declining.\u201d (cb)<\/em>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”dtb-sticky” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”Facts” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”|||on|||||” header_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||20px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_blurb_title=”display: inline-block!important;||background: #002754!important;||padding: 5px 13px 3px 13px!important;||position: relative!important;” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#002754″ global_colors_info=”{}” header_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” header_text_color__hover=”rgba(255,255,255,0.71)”][\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Established: <\/strong>2019K\u00fchne Center for Sustainable
\nTrade and Logistics<\/h2>\n
\nHeadquarters: <\/strong>Zurich
\nEmployees: <\/strong>1 professor, 1 postdoc, 4 doctoral students and several research assistants[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.logistics-pilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Master_APR_Ralf-Ossa500px.png” title_text=”Master_APR_Ralf-Ossa500px” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ custom_margin=”50px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ header_3_text_color=”#002e5b” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||40px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n\u201cIf households and businesses source their goods from more environmentally friendly countries, this will significantly reduce emissions.\u201d<\/h3>\n