From Data to Decarbonisation: SFC–TERI Whitepaper Anchors India’s Freight Emissions Accounting

Nationally harmonised framework to underpin clean freight programmes, emissions reporting, and logistics sustainability

New Delhi | 10 February 2026: Smart Freight Centre (SFC) India, in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and IIM-Bangalore, released a Whitepaper titled, Institutionalizing Freight Emissions Accounting in India: Pathways for Clean Freight Programs and Policy Integration at the high-level convening, “Road to Zero Emissions: Measuring and Reporting Freight Emissions”, held in New Delhi.

The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and technical experts to advance a shared understanding of how consistent, transparent, and India-relevant emissions measurement can support the decarbonisation of freight transport, one of the fastest-growing contributors to transport emissions in the country.

The Whitepaper proposes a nationally harmonised approach aligned with ISO 14083 and the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework, while incorporating India-specific emission factors and local data realities. It outlines a practical roadmap for operationalising a Clean Freight Program for India, supported by multi-stakeholder governance and a digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework.

“You cannot decarbonise what you cannot measure. The development of standardised methodologies and India-specific emission factors strengthens the technical basis for informed, targeted interventions. Hence this whitepaper provides India with a practical, institution-ready blueprint to make freight emissions accounting credible, comparable, and actionable at scale.” said Ms Deepali Thakur, Principal – Technical, Smart Freight Centre India.

Emphasising the strategic importance of measurement, TERI highlighted the need for standardisation to unlock effective climate action in freight. “Measuring freight emissions is the critical first step,” said Mr Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Programme, TERI. “Institutionalising freight emissions accounting in India, aligned with global clean freight programs can support emissions reduction, provide a credible foundation for effective decarbonisation and enable participation in emerging compliance and carbon-market mechanisms.”

From a policy perspective, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry underscored the role of emissions accounting in strengthening India’s logistics ecosystem. “Going ahead, freight emissions accounting will need to be integrated with other pillars of logistics infrastructure, supporting efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability together,” said Mr Sagar Kadu, Director (Logistics), DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

Linking freight emissions to air quality outcomes, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) highlighted the relevance of freight corridors and logistics hubs. “Freight transport is a major source of NOx, SOx, PM, and black carbon, with emissions concentrated around logistics hubs and major corridors. Addressing hotspots such as Delhi NCR can create scalable, emissions-led models for other regions facing similar PM and NOx challenges,” said Dr Virinder Sharma, Member (Technical), CAQM.

Highlighting the value of evidence-based decision-making, academia and industry collaboration was emphasised by IIM-Bangalore. “Such frameworks enable more targeted and proportionate interventions, helping policymakers focus on fleet modernisation, cleaner technologies, and zero-emission freight solutions where they are most effective,” said Dr Aditya Gupta, COO, TCI-Supply Chain Sustainability Lab and Supply Chain Management Centre, IIM-Bangalore.

The event also marked several key launches, including:

• India special Electric Vehicle Emission Factors developed by IIM-Bangalore and SFC
• Demonstrations of the Transportation Emissions Measurement Tool (TEMT) to support transparent, decision-useful reporting
• Release of TERI’s Clean Freight Program: Baseline Study (Phase-II)

Together, these initiatives aim to strengthen India’s readiness for future disclosure requirements and enable a credible transition toward low- and zero-emission freight transport.

The Whitepaper can be accessed here.