Will Transport Affect Globalization? Are We Heading Back to Locally Based Economic Activities?

The paper discusses some aspects of the transport industry’s impact on the process of globalization in the world economy. Emphasis is put on the emerging new trends in that area, and in particular on the reverse globalization frequently referred to as “de-globalization”. While the latter concept provides ground for controversy, it seems that it has become visible in the number of trades and in particular in food trades which engage a considerable portion of the world transport system’s carrying capacity. Moving back to local production of food, one of many areas where the process of de-globalization appears to have started, might liberate vast reserves of transport capacity worldwide while, simultaneously, it will contribute to the reduction of transport-generated pollution. Arguments for such a solution are raised in the paper as is the necessity for more in-depth analysis in this field.