Impacts of green last mile logistics innovations in urban and rural areas: a Delphi study

Abstract

With the growth of urban populations and the centralization of rural supply, e-commerce is booming, requiring logistics innovations. This development, coupled with increasing pressure for decarbonization, challenges traditional paradigms of goods and service provision in different areas. Building on the concept of green logistics, we aim to unravel the growing complexity of economic and environmental sustainability impacts of logistics innovations to support strategic decision-making. We employ a Delphi study to dissect and assess thirteen logistics innovations across urban and rural landscapes. Engaging four panels of experts from public administration, academia, consultancy, and NGOs, we analyze the economic and environmental sustainability impacts as well as the implementation potential of logistics innovations. The findings offer practical insights for policymakers and urban planners, and strategic guidance for logistics companies. We contribute to the prioritization of logistics innovations and the understanding of inter-observer reliability among logistics stakeholders.