Carbon emission is one of the key factors contributing to global warming and transport accounts for a higher percentage of carbon sources than other sectors. Reducing the impact of transport emissions on climate change and the environment as a whole has become a pressing concern in many countries.
As we enter the era of smart cities, it is timely to inquire whether and how the uptake of alternative mobilities enabled by new technologies (e.g. electric vehicles and bike-sharing) can improve individual health and wellbeing and planetary health. Are we traveling for good? Or are we producing more carbon than before?
This project seeks to understand the link between new mobilities and health and wellbeing at the individual and urban/regional levels with a view to informing urban policymakers and planners on designing and implementing programmes to incentivise people to adopt more sustainable travel behaviours. It will synthesise and evaluate successful and less successful practices around the world, identify the common contributing factors and consequences, and establish a conceptual framework to test the hypothetic link between new mobilities and health and wellbeing.
In the long run, the team also aims to produce an impact case study and undertake empirical research to investigate the influence of various geographical, social, and cultural factors on new mobilities.
The scientific knowledge and research capacity generated will be valuable in informing policymaking, planning and technological innovation to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG #13), and achieve sustainable cities and communities (SDG #11) and good health and wellbeing (SDG #3).
