83% of logistics professionals believe climate change will require a fundamental redesign of supply networks, according to the first Global Sustainable Logistics Survey from Kühne Logistics University (KLU) and the Kuehne Climate Center.

The study polled 1,085 professionals across 64 countries and establishes a baseline for tracking progress through the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, which runs from 2026 to 2035. Only 45% of respondents rate current adaptation measures as adequate for the foreseeable future.

What threats are operators prioritising?

Extreme heat ranked as the most urgent threat to logistics assets and operations in every transport mode and region the survey covered. The finding has direct operational implications: heat degrades crane productivity at container terminals, reduces payload efficiency on trucking lanes, and limits payload on tarmac-restricted flights.

Respondents identified three measures as most effective for adaptation:

• Climate-proofing infrastructure
• Climate risk assessment and scenario planning
• Digital tools for monitoring climate risks

Yet fewer than half of those surveyed consider existing efforts sufficient.

Where is mitigation adoption stalling?

The survey found broad agreement between logistics providers and their customers on which measures can reduce emissions. Adoption lags, however, for solutions requiring significant infrastructure, investment or policy support — specifically low-carbon fuels, fleet electrification, and modal shift from road to rail and inland waterways.

The gap carries commercial weight. Shippers that have committed to long-term decarbonisation targets with carriers and forwarders face a narrower pool of credible partners as low-emission bunker fuels, electric trucks and barge services remain scarce or expensive. Carriers, in turn, must choose between absorbing decarbonisation capex or risking contract loss to competitors with stronger green credentials. The implication for forwarders is similar: customers will increasingly screen service providers on verifiable emissions data.

What skills gaps could slow the transition?

Regional talent shortages add another barrier. The report flagged deficits in emissions calculation and reporting expertise across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. In Western Europe, 43% of respondents cited a shortage of systems-thinking skills — the capacity to model end-to-end network effects of climate policy rather than single-mode fixes.

Lead investigator Professor Johannes Meuer said: "Sustainable logistics solutions exist, but too few are making it from research and pilots into everyday practice."

What comes next?

KLU plans to repeat the survey at intervals during the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport to measure changes in adoption of sustainable practices. Forthcoming industry forums will likely set the tone for the first reassessment: the Responsible Supply Chain Conference opens in Singapore on 2 December, with further editions planned for Brussels in March 2027 and London in June 2027.

The adoption trajectory by 2030 will determine whether decarbonisation commitments shippers have signed with carriers and forwarders translate into measurable Scope 3 reductions — or remain on paper.