Area Development
In the first volume of its Transportation and Logistics 2030 series, PricewaterhouseCoopers asks how supply chains will evolve in a world with energy constraints and low-carbon strictures. The report predicts a change in consumer behavior, especially as prices rise due to a more expensive supply chain.

Transportation costs and emissions will be the top constraining factors of the global supply chain, the report finds. While oil prices are expected to increase - along with the use of alternative fuels - these trends will not significantly change transportation and logistics. What will change, however, is the industry's need to document, track, and allocate specific costs for emissions.

Consumers are likely to be the key drivers of future trends in transportation and logistics. Consumers who are more concerned about environmental preservation will tend to choose more local logistics options, and the report predicts they will only seek more control over the supply chain.