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The topic of this thesis is digital transformation of air cargo, and this research aims to identify drivers and barriers of change as well as solutions for the future. Main themes of this research have been visible in form of new innovations, articles and researches as well as from an industry bodies such as IATA, for some years now. There have been efforts within the air cargo industry to move towards a more digital world, but still adaptation lags behind and funding is limited. At the same time e-commerce and COVID-19 are transforming the air cargo industry with challenges requiring rapid changes. Literature review of this research consists of knowledge on air cargo and air cargo supply chain, first providing knowledge of the value of air cargo, forces and constraints for growth followed by introduction the common concepts, processes and stakeholders. Most importantly, literature review explains the data transfer within the air cargo supply chain and provides some examples of future digitalization of the air cargo industry. Literature review is based on industry articles and researches conducted. Research methodology consists of qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with aviation industry professionals, with decades of experience from different parts of the air cargo supply chain. Interviews were conducted during the fall of 2020 and sample size for this research was five participants. Based on the results from the interviews, the most common drivers of change were the rapid rise of e-commerce and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Most notable problems were fragmentation of the supply chain as well as lack of funding for new innovations and developments. However, also solutions for these problems were identified in forms of data- sharing and collaboration. These factors create many opportunities and the literature review of this report introduces the shift from traditional EDI systems used in air cargo into APIs as the enables of collaborative supply chains of the future. Data sharing being one primary solution as it hosts major opportunities in the shift from fragmented arcanely lead industry into transparent and collaborative future. In aim for a brighter future and digital transformation, air cargo industry has seen global standards set, partnerships created and innovations formed.

Many countries around the world have chosen lockdown and restrictions on people's mobility as the main strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions have significantly affected environmental noise and modified urban soundscapes, opening up an unprecedented opportunity for research in the field. In order to enable these investigations to be carried out in a more harmonized and consistent manner, this paper makes a proposal for a set of indicators that will enable to address the challenge from a number of different approaches. It proposes a minimum set of basic energetic indicators, and the taxonomy that will allow their communication and reporting. In addition, an extended set of descriptors is outlined which better enables the application of more novel approaches to the evaluation of the effect of this new soundscape on people's subjective perception.

Cities will be home to 2 billion new residents by 2045, and the pressure to develop land in and around cities is growing. This will pose a great challenge to lower‐income cities since they tend to grow through slums and other informal settlements. Slum residents have inadequate and inequitable access to public services and economic opportunities, and on account of the living conditions in these settlements, they are also more vulnerable to diseases, especially highly communicable ones, such as COVID-19. In 2014, an estimated 880 million urban residents lived in slum conditions, compared with 792 million in 2000 (UN 2019). This number is likely to keep growing unless urban spatial expansion is planned and managed well. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, development institutions will need to support clients in managing urban spatial growth. An integrated approach towards land administration, land use planning, and land development – three major determinants of urban spatial growth – will be key. This evaluation offers IEG’s first systematic assessment of the World Bank’s support to the management of urban spatial growth. It answers the question: To what extent has World Bank engagement been relevant and effective towards supporting its clients in managing urban spatial growth through land administration, land‐use planning, and land development?

Over the past two years (2018-2019) European aviation has been confronted with serious capacity challenges and high levels of delay. Subsequently, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed that the European airspace system lacks resilience and the ability to absorb demand shocks, be these in the form of increases or drops in air traffic. The provision of Air Traffic Management (ATM) data services holds the potential to boost the system’s resilience while enabling the development of virtual centers. Virtual centers, in turn, can make it possible to shift capacities in times of crisis of the kind we are facing today, where, for instance, a significant reduction of the capacity in one center may be needed. Building upon the first workshop on Enabling ATM Data Services, this second workshop aimed to share the latest progress made on the European Commission’s study as well as to provide an opportunity for an open discussion with key stakeholders. This brief summarises the presented results and captures the main reactions received to the study.

Year 2020 will mark History, with the emergence of the new Covid-19 virus, and more importantly, the consequent political decisions to apply freedom restriction at such a largescale. Identifying the human behaviours during this extraordinary period represents a unique opportunity to both improve our fundamental knowledge and to improve future management of similar issues. Throughout almost all the duration of the French lockdown (from March 24, 2020 to May 10, 2020), we carried out an online survey on more than 12,000 individuals well distributed over the country. This online survey was performed by using both Lime-Survey and Google Forms services and was addressed to adults living in France. Statistical analyses combined classical inferential approach, mapping, clustering and text mining. The results showed that a significant part of the population moved out just before the lockdown (around 10% of our sample) and we highlighted three different profiles of participants. The results emphasised that the lockdown measures compliance was lower in two cases: (i) an unfavourable living environment (referring to social and economic inequity) associated with a high feeling of fear and a lack of trust towards Governmental measures; or (ii) the feeling that the risk was low due to the fact that others complied with the measures. In case a similar situation should occur again, it is recommended that Governments broadcast clear speeches to improve trust, limit fear and increase cooperative behaviours.

With the flooding and sickness impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses have seen the need for online or virtual trading and products' delivery to the point of order. Whether through their channels, sub-contracted, or third-party agents, the process of delivering items to the customers has gained significant attention over the years. Therefore, referred to as the last-mile delivery process, and the growth of e-commerce activities has enhanced it. Though it comes with an additional fee, the last-mile logistical system is a convenient and sustainable distribution mode, which provides a competitive advantage to companies. The current study analyses the effect of e-commerce last-mile modes on the environment and the mediating role of sustainable logistics technology. Contextually, this study took in the city of Helsinki and Oulu. The study highlights four critical issues linked to the last-mile logistical modes to incorporate a qualitative research methodology a thematic analytical process. Such as convenience due to fewer traffic jams and fuel savings, cost-cutting for distribution functions minimized queuing problems, improved ecological environment due to suppressed carbon emissions, and improved quality of life of consumers. It is recommended that firms adopt technologies that minimize substantial waste pollution, which can be addressed through the last-mile logistical options.

Around 75% of European cargo transport operations in terms of ton-kilometers are performed by trucks, which, in turn, entail massive environmental and societal impacts. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, road freight was projected to increase by around 40% by 2030 and by little over 80% by 2050. To support the greening of cargo operations, the European Green Deal calls for a substantial part of the inland freight traffic to shift away from road towards cleaner modes such as rail, inland waterways and short-sea shipping. The subsequent Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy stipulates that rail freight traffic should increase by 50% by 2030 and double by 2050, whereas transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping should increase by 25% by 2030 and by 50% by 2050. In this context, the European Commission has pledged to substantially revamp the framework for multimodal transport by revising the Combined Transport Directive, among other instruments. The scarcity of transhipment infrastructure, and of inland multimodal terminals, in particular, would need to be addressed, and missing links in multimodal infrastructure closed. Moreover, work is underway to establish a common framework for the harmonised measurement of transport and logistics-related greenhouse gas emissions based on global standards. This stands to empower consumers and businesses to make more sustainable delivery and transport choices through the provision of adequate information on the climate footprint as well as on the available alternatives of their deliveries. Inspired by the discussions at the 8th Florence Intermodal Forum, this policy brief reflects on the various measures to green European cargo operations, with a focus on boosting the share of multimodal freight and creating a common carbon accounting framework.

In response to insufficient understanding of the determinants of change in e-shopping behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries, this paper used the data from 355 respondents, collected in Hanoi during the social distancing period (April 2020), to explore the factors associated with shopping online more frequently (i.e., representing the growth of e-shopping) for five product types (food, medical products, clothing, electronics, and books) in Hanoi, Vietnam. The results showed that nearly 80% of the respondents engaged in e-shopping more frequently than they did before the outbreak of COVID-19. As regards shopping online more frequently in general (i.e., for at least one product type), females were more likely to do so. In-store shopping enjoyment and a decrease in income were a facilitator and a deterrent, respectively. Regarding specific product types, completely working from home had a positive association with more frequent e-purchasing for electronics. Fear of disease encouraged higher frequencies of e-shopping for food and medical products. Notably, the shortage of physical supply was not a determinant of buying any product type online more frequently. As for the implications of our findings, supporting and encouraging low-income shoppers, older persons, and females to engage in e-shopping is necessary to limit the detrimental effects of the pandemic on their lives. The growth of internet purchasing expresses a need to manage the development of urban delivery services, to limit the uncontrolled proliferation of motorcycles. E-shopping requires delivery to complete the online-to-offline process; therefore, protecting the health of delivery drivers to ensure the safety of the whole online shopping process would be necessary.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has radically impacted public transport ridership and service provision across the country. Since the outbreak of the virus, transit agencies have had to adapt to new and rapidly evolving conditions. Many agencies modified services to reflect lower ridership levels and to ensure the safety of both riders and operators. These changes in service were guided by public health agencies, as well as major transit associations like the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and International Association of Public Transport (UITP). Other agencies implemented precautionary measures like rear door boarding, temporary fare suspension, and reduced capacity limits to enable the safe continuity of operations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, transit agencies are having to strike a balance between providing enough transportation options for essential travel and reducing service offerings to match the declining overall demand for mobility services. Using a case study of Grand River Transit (GRT) in the Region of Waterloo, this report will document the impacts of COVID-19 on transit agencies and their responses, with a focus on modifications to services. By analyzing the challenges that transit agencies faced in modifying transit services, this report will offer guidance on the protocols and procedures that should be established for an effective pandemic response. Further, the findings of this report will help to inform discussions and guide decisions on the role and operation of public transit in future pandemic events. 

Daily estimates of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)—one of a group of pollutant gases that derive from human activity, primarily combustion—can provide a useful, albeit "noisy", real-time proxy measure of how COVID-19 has affected economic activity. To examine how the crisis affects NO2 levels in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), we calculated mean daily NO2 tropospheric estimates for 43 regions that contain either national capitals or large urban areas for the period July 2018 to April 2020. We found that emissions reductions in April were sizeable, larger in more developed areas, and large in many but not all of the countries that implemented national lockdowns. Overall, the data suggest that NO2 readings contain useful information to help track the reduction in motorized transport, and possibly overall economic activity, in urban, developed areas.