2014 marked an important turning point: for the first time in history, half the world's population lived in cities. As a result of this urbanization, it is becoming undeniable that transportation, an indispensable part of the daily routine of our modern lifestyles, plays an important role in climate change. Cities' concerns on this subject are guiding their investments more and more, and urban mobility is at the heart of the solution. This article will present 2 good reasons why cities should invest in sustainable mobility.
It is the answer to several social problems
In their 2014 Climate Change Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that transportation is the fastest growing source of energy-related carbon emissions in the world. In 2010, it accounted for 23% of energy-related GHG emissions, with urban transportation being the largest source. Fortunately, the mindset of cities is changing to understand that low-carbon vehicles are not the only solution if we are to solve the associated problems of congestion, pollution and economic efficiency. Investment in urban mass transit could reduce congestion, provide affordable transportation to more people, and generate even greater economic benefits, while providing significant environmental benefits.
According to Harvard Data Smart Cities Solutions, more and more cities are interested in finding solutions to these issues, by moving from the electrification of vehicles to initiatives to promote changes in citizens' behavior in terms of travel, as is the case for mobility credits in Coventry, UK. The Mayor of Los Angeles, and Chairman of C40, un regroupement de villes qui font des pressions en faveur des actions pour le climat, statut ainsi que « Le transport en commun est plus qu’un simple moyen de déplacer les gens. C’est un vecteur d’opportunités, d’équité et d’une meilleure qualité de vie. ». Des études supportent même qu’il y a des health and fitness benefits associated with public transport, since active transport (walking and cycling) and public transport are complementary.
C’est un investissement intelligent et rentable
Although there are many societal benefits, return on investment is still an important aspect, in the context of limited resources that cities face. According to the report Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity of the Coalition for Urban Transition, a new global initiative, with experts from more than 20 of the world's leading institutions focused on cities, investments and measures in low-carbon passenger transport have had far superior returns to other sectors, including buildings, material efficiency and waste. Three sectors had particularly high returns, namely the deployment of more efficient and electric vehicles, the implementation of a modal shift towards public transport and the reduction of the demand for motorized travel.
While electrification and vehicle efficiency can reduce transportation emissions, they won't solve congestion - they will only electrify it. These investments and measures must be accompanied by a modal shift towards public transport in cities, which also offers even greater economic benefits. In their urban mobility investment scenarios, the Coalition for Urban Transition demonstrates that a total investment of US $ 4 trillion in public buses, trains and railroads would yield US $ 1 trillion in annual profits in the first 10 years, if the net present value is approximately 19,600 billion US dollars - the largest of all modeled investments. It would pay for itself in just one year, with significant returns on vehicle ownership savings, savings in operating and fuel costs, thanks to reduced vehicle use, as well as time savings. travel and congestion.
In conclusion, these three urban transportation investments - more efficient and electric vehicles, modal shift to transit transportation, and reduction in motorized travel demand - are also deeply interconnected. For example, reducing motorized travel demand means that a city could operate with fewer vehicles, which could reduce the total investment needs for vehicle electrification and free funds for other much-needed public services. Because of these profound environmental, health, economic, and quality-of-life effects, improving urban transport can solve many problems at once . Ultimately, with such a strong business case and proven return on investment to advocate for investments in sustainable transport, governments have a moral obligation to act.