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The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically how information and communication technologies (ICT) can contribute to reduction of CO₂ emissions in road freight transport and to identify opportunities for further improvements.

This research adopts a multiple case study approach with three leading UK grocery retailers as exemplars of fast-moving consumer goods retailers, conducted using multiple data collection techniques including interviews, system demonstrations, onsite observations and the use of archive information.

ICT solutions have a direct positive impact on CO₂ emissions reduction but opportunities to further reduce CO₂ emissions are perceived as lying beyond retailers’ own distribution networks. These opportunities are not fully utilised due to the complexities of collaborative ICT provisions and retailers’ reluctance to share information with competitors.

A limitation of the study is that it is exploratory and only three cases were examined. Even though these three retailers represent over 60 per cent of the UK grocery retail sector, other retailers may deploy significantly different ICT applications.

The research provides an overarching insight for businesses on how to leverage the existing and emerging information technologies for environmental and economic benefits.

While sustainability issues have received increasing attention recently, the role of ICT in freight transport for CO₂ emissions reduction has not been investigated in depth and its impact is largely unknown. This research advances understanding about how ICT contributes CO₂ emissions reductions and provides a framework for further investigation.

Most countries face important economic, social and environmental challenges and are strongly committed to invest in research and development (R&D) activities to help support the long-run economic sustainable growth. This paper aims to extend the previous research on macro-economic growth models and introduces endogenous variables to determine the amount of investments in R&D activities.

The model considers four different criteria and six economic sectors and aims at finding the optimal allocation of labor across different sectors. The model also endogenously determines the amount of investments in pollution abatement activities together with energy-related R&D efforts. The paper presents an application to the case of Kazakhstan, an emerging Asian country, that aims to become one of the top 30 most developed countries in the world by 2050.

The model shows the limits of the Kazakh agenda that identified too ambitious goals as the country has to go through a sociotechnical transition that involves a range of modifications in institutional structures, together with changes in user practices and the technological dimension. Kazakhstan should invest more in R&D activities able to develop sustainable energy sources to face the current electricity consumption demand and to reduce the greenhouse gas emission in the future.

The paper provides valuable knowledge for researchers and policy makers interested in the impact of R&D on the long-run economic sustainable growth.