Green practices gain ground in humanitarian aid despite operational challenges

The push to decarbonize the global economy is reaching the frontlines of disaster relief. A new systematic review published in Logistics sheds light on how humanitarian organizations can integrate environmentally sustainable practices without compromising the speed and efficiency critical to saving lives in crises.

Titled "Transforming Humanitarian Supply Chains Through Green Practices: A Systematic Review," the research consolidates findings from over a decade of studies to map the evolution, current state, and future priorities for green humanitarian supply chains (GHSCs). Covering literature from 2011 to 2024, the review identifies not only where sustainable logistics has made strides in the humanitarian sector but also where urgent gaps remain.

What green practices are changing in humanitarian logistics

The authors analysed 51 peer-reviewed studies drawn from an initial pool of 291, screened through a PRISMA-compliant process. The dataset captures 30 case studies from 19 countries, with China and Haiti emerging as the most studied contexts, and earthquake response and the COVID-19 pandemic representing the dominant crisis scenarios.

The review outlines several operational areas where green practices are already making measurable impacts. In transport and network design, humanitarian actors are increasingly using route and mode optimization, multi-modal strategies, and strategic warehouse placement to reduce fuel use and emissions. These adjustments not only cut environmental footprints but can also lower costs when executed efficiently.

In inventory and packaging, organizations are adopting lean and green inventory policies, consolidating shipments, and using eco-friendly packaging materials. This reduces both waste and the logistical burden of disposing of non-biodegradable materials in disaster zones. Performance management is also evolving, with growing emphasis on operational emissions metrics, such as emissions per shipment, vehicle fuel efficiency, and energy use in storage facilities, as tools for continuous improvement.

The study further highlights the role of digitalisation. Real-time tracking, advanced forecasting, and data analytics are enabling humanitarian agencies to reduce over-ordering, avoid empty return trips, and monitor emissions. Collaboration is another emerging strength, with examples of joint procurement, shared warehousing, and fleet-sharing platforms that reduce duplication, cut costs, and shrink environmental impact.

Why barriers still limit widespread adoption

Despite promising advances, the authors find that significant obstacles are slowing the adoption of green practices in humanitarian supply chains. Foremost is the operational reality of disaster relief: in fast-moving emergencies, environmental considerations often take a back seat to speed and survival. The complexity and urgency of these operations make it difficult to add sustainability measures without risking delays.

Another major hurdle is the lack of standardized frameworks and metrics. Without agreed methodologies for measuring and reporting environmental performance, it is challenging to compare results across organizations or replicate successful models. This lack of uniformity extends to the absence of multidimensional models that can balance environmental goals with cost, speed, and social outcomes.

Transport constraints are particularly acute in remote or disaster-affected areas, where infrastructure may be damaged and vehicle options limited. Poor emissions data for irregular routes adds another layer of difficulty. Meanwhile, digital tools, despite their potential, remain underused, and coordination between NGOs, governments, and private sector suppliers is often fragmented. This fragmentation limits the sharing of data, assets, and best practices that could make green approaches more viable in the field.

Future of green humanitarian supply chains

The review is not simply a diagnosis of the current state; it sets out a research and policy agenda to accelerate progress. At the top of the list is the development of advanced, flexible decision-support models that embed environmental targets alongside service performance objectives. These could take the form of multi-objective optimization models or decision tools based on fuzzy logic and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA).

The authors stress the need for more detailed emissions accounting, as well as the deployment of digital twins to simulate and optimise humanitarian transport and cold chain operations. Field validation is critical: proposed green designs must be tested in a variety of disaster contexts and across the full spectrum of humanitarian phases: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Another promising avenue is the scaling of reverse logistics and circular economy practices, allowing for the reuse of materials, recovery of assets, and reduction of waste generated during relief operations. Integrating resilience, agility, and lean principles with advanced digital tools such as artificial intelligence, IoT, big data analytics, blockchain, and machine learning could deliver real-time, low-carbon operations that meet both humanitarian and environmental objectives.

From a policy point of view, the review suggests that donor agencies and international bodies could play a key role by mandating environmental performance reporting, funding green infrastructure in humanitarian hubs, and incentivising collaboration across supply chain actors. This, combined with organisational changes such as staff training and leadership commitment to sustainability, could turn green humanitarian supply chains from an emerging niche into a sector-wide standard.