In this dossier, you will find articles, including numerous infographics, on game changing technologies, policies, and concepts: new driving technology and e-Mobility, multimodality and flexible public transit, the transformation of the automotive sector, the politics transportation in the EU transportation policy and solutions for sustainable tourism.
The Mobility Atlas (German edition) covers key areas of action for the transition to sustainable transportation. We have translated five chapters into English in order to make them accessible to an international audience.
The coronavirus pandemic is causing a sharp drop in global traffic. Business trips and holidays have been cancelled; supply chains have come to a standstill. Public transportation companies are facing hard times as passengers stay away.
It is uncertain what the future holds. What is certain, however, is that we still need a turnaround in the transportation sector. The proposals and instruments for building a climate-friendly transportation system remain urgent and important. For example, it is still right to promote the modernization of public transport by integrating on-demand services and micro-mobility. The same applies to the expansion of bicycle infrastructure and a redistribution of urban space in favor of cyclists, pedestrians, skaters and all those who move around in a way that both promotes health and protects the climate. The coronavirus crisis is prompting a big push toward digitization, as a reliable digital infrastructure is a prerequisite to avoid unnecessary traffic and commuting. Digitization makes multi-modality and the transportation of goods more efficient.
From the points of view of industrial policy and freedom of movement, it is still rightly a priority for policymakers at all levels to invest in climate-neutral electric mobility. At the same time, fossil-fueled mobility must become more expensive. This must be enforced by regulatory policy, with stricter emission caps than those currently in place in the European Union.
In this dossier, you will find articles, including numerous infographics, on game-changing technologies, policies, and concepts: new driving technology and e-mobility, multimodality and flexible public transit, the transformation of the automotive sector, the far-reaching impact of EU transportation policy and solutions for sustainable tourism.
The novel coronavirus reminds us of how ill-prepared we are for the shocks to come if we don’t halt climate change and teaches us that we must build resilient infrastructures. Part of this means investing in sustainable transportation systems and using digitization to avoid traffic. If this becomes the guideline for political regulation and market incentives, we will come closer to the vision of climate justice.
In 19 articles, the Mobility Atlas (German edition) covers key areas of action for the transition to sustainable transportation. We have had five of these articles translated into English in order to make them accessible to an international audience. We aim to contribute to an open and facts-based discussion on sustainable mobility. Stay tuned for the European edition of the Mobility Atlas: Our colleagues in Brussels are currently working on it.
Dr. Stefanie Groll
Head of Department of Environmental Policies
Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin, Germany