Used Heavy- Duty Vehicles and the Environment: A Global Overview of Used Heavy-Duty Vehicles: Flow, Scale and Regulation

United Nations 2 years ago

This Used Heavy- Duty Vehicles and the Environment: A Global Overview of Used Heavy-Duty Vehicles: Flow, Scale and Regulation report analyses the flow and scale of used heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) from three major used HDVs exporters – Japan, the European Union (EU) and Republic of Korea (ROK). It also reviews the regulatory environment for used HDVs import in 146 countries, 122 of which are low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). The major exporters of HDVs (used & new) are the EU, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Mexico, the US, and China. However, while China manufactures 67% of global HDVs, its share of used HDV exports was only 8% in 2020. This is changing rapidly as the policy to expand used vehicles exports is being implemented and from 2022 more than 30 cities in China have been approved to export used vehicles globally. The EU on the other hand exported about 46% of used HDVs (2020) while contributing to about 6% of global HDVs manufacturing. Thus, while the worldwide HDV manufacturing market shifted from Western Europe and North America to emerging economies in the last two decades, used HDVs exporters are primarily high-income economies.
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 6 hours ago



Policy momentum in the UK is setting the direction for a new era of sustainable construction rooted in measurable carbon performance. Planning reforms proposing the delivery of 1.5 million homes signal an urgent balance between rapid development and low carbon design. The debate now hinges on whether the next generation of housing can achieve net zero whole life carbon without compromising affordability or urban resilience. This shift underscores the necessity of whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment across all stages of the built environment, from design to end-of-life reuse in construction.

The workforce transition is equally critical. Skills England’s forecast of 250,000 additional roles highlights that decarbonising the built environment demands not only policy innovation but also technical capability in sustainable building design, resource efficiency in construction and the specification of low embodied carbon materials. These skills will support the progression of carbon neutral construction and the integration of circular economy principles into procurement frameworks.

At the project level, the adoption of plug‑in battery systems and renewable building materials demonstrates how energy-efficient buildings are becoming active participants in grid stability. This evolution reflects a deeper commitment to environmental sustainability in construction through eco-design for buildings and sustainable material specification that minimises the carbon footprint of construction.

Across Europe, climate accountability is tightening. Corporate emissions scrutiny and extreme weather events reinforce the imperative for green construction that measures embodied carbon in materials and validates performance through environmental product declarations (EPDs) and BREEAM v7 certification. The convergence of sustainable design, circular construction strategies and life cycle cost analysis is making the environmental impact of construction transparent and quantifiable.

What was once an aspirational green agenda has become a framework for sustainable urban development guided by verifiable metrics of carbon footprint reduction and building lifecycle performance. The result is a global shift toward low impact, eco-friendly construction driven by evidence, regulation and innovation that embeds sustainability at the core of every design and decision.

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