A public-private partnership between Cainiao Smart Logistics Network and the China Environmental Protection Foundation has been awarded $1 million in funding by an international organization to expand an ongoing green logistics cities program on the Mainland.
Cainiao, which is Alibaba’s logistics unit, and CEPF are spearheading a green-packaging program, a zero-packaging waste program and electric vehicles-delivery program in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. Funds provided by Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030to CEPF will enable its expansion to other cities in China.
“Cainiao is committed to driving green smart logistics in China. We are pleased to further our efforts together with the China Environmental Protection Foundation and the global P4G network to promote green logistics together on a larger scale,” said Gu Xuemei, Cainiao’s chief technology officer.
P4G is a network of global leaders and innovators seeking breakthrough solutions for green economic growth. It selected the Cainiao-CEPF partnership in a global competition that attracted 450 submissions from 80 countries.
“This cooperation demonstrates the innovation in our partnership model and huge potential scale of impact not only in China, but also across the global value chain covering 224 countries and regions,” said Ian de Cruz, P4G Global Director. “Withsupport from P4G’s extended network including C40 Cities, Global Green Growth Institute and the World Economic Forum, this integrated public-private model can help other cities move down the path to zero plastic and packaging waste.”
Cainiao rolled out its first green logistics city initiative in Xiamen, with a pilot program started in late 2017. In Xiamen, a port city of 3.5 million people, Cainiao and CEPF are working with the municipal government to set up more than 100 city-wide package recycling points by the end of 2018, where packaging waste can be gathered, sorted and processed for treatment and re-use. Cainiao also has begun deploying and promoting electric vehicles to deliver packages across the city.
“We have been working with Cainiao Network very closely on developing the logistics for a greener city and look forward to working with P4G to enhance and expand this model. P4G’s support will help us integrate their network’s global expertise and allow us to learn and share lessons for greater success,” said Xu Guang, Secretary General of CEPF.
Earlier this year, Cainiao announced the most-comprehensive green campaign in China’s logistics industry to date – Alibaba Green Logistics 2020. Enabled through world-class technologies, the campaign represents joint efforts across the Alibaba Group to improve material recycling, packaging, route planning and delivery methods to work towards a greener future.