What is “Sustainable”?
Sustainability consists of fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations, while ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental care and social well-being. This was well defined by theory of Triple Bottom Line which has all these parts:
Likewise, sustainability is branched into 3 types:
- Environmental – focuses on the conservation of biodiversity without foregoing economic and social progress. The foundations of environmental sustainability are: safeguarding water, saving energy, reducing waste, using recyclable packaging, limiting or eliminating the use of plastics, using sustainable transport, reusing paper and protecting flora and fauna.
- Economic – when a company is set up, a structure is created that involves expenses and revenues. Once a balance is struck between both factors, the company earns profit. Economic sustainability refers to the organisation’s ability to manage its resources and responsibly generate profits in the long term.
- Social – any community in which economic activities are carried out in a specific environment, we find three interconnected forms of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. However, social sustainability in particular has the goal of strengthening the cohesion and stability of specific social groups.
What is “Mobility”?
Best described as any type of transport that does not rely on the world’s natural resources to power it. The aim of this type of transport is to reduce the negative impacts on the environment. It includes both public transport (electric buses, zero emissions buses, metro, train, trams, etc.) and private transport (pedestrians, bikes, scooters, electric vehicles, etc.). Mobility options on local, regional, national and international contexts:
- Rollers
- Skateboard
- Scooter
- Bicycle
- Motorbike
- Horse riding
- Dog sled
- Canoe
- Kayak
- Ferry
- Boat
- Car
- Bus
- Train
- Tram
- Trolleybus
- Plane
- Helicopter
- Air balloon
Importance of the topic
1) Smart mobility, strong economy: sustainable mobility impacts on economic progress
The impact on the economy of sustainable mobility is amply demonstrated and of great importance. While the smart planning and the use of public transport is a source of savings both for the public administration and citizens, all green mobility is beneficial for economic growth. Suffice it to say, cycling has created 650,000 jobs in Europe, invoicing 44 billion euros. But there’s more! Studies conducted in areas closed to motorized traffic, accessible only to pedestrians or cyclists, have noted a significant increase in business activities and related incomes.
2) Sustainable mobility and healthier lifestyles
Choose to move on foot or by bicycle to reach their jobs is to live more healthily, combat sedentary lifestyle and maintain good physical shape. Leaving the car in the garage even improve your mental health. Going by bicycle is less stressing, and those traveling by public transport is more relaxed and found again precious time that gives the chance to read or socialize. In addition, the emissions produced by the cars of our city can cause many different types of chronic diseases.
3) Sustainable mobility to save the planet
The transport sector consumes huge amounts of energy and is responsible for a third of energy consumption in the European Union. The energy used is currently produced mainly using non-renewable sources, such as oil and gas. Of these emissions so harmful to the environment, 90% is given by road transport, while rail and water travel are responsible for only 10%. Our planet is no longer able to withstand the pollution from transport, a change towards sustainability is urgent.
The future of sustainable mobility
For the past few years, together with traditional bikes, skates and skateboards, many new modes of transport have appeared. Some of these examples of sustainable transport include electric scooters, hoverboards, Segways, electric bikes, in essence the appearance of personal mobility vehicles (PMV). These modes of transport are still an environmentally-friendly alternative in the majority of cases.
- Electric bikes increasingly substitute cars for journeys of medium distances, reducing CO2 emissions by 100, but also costs. Nevertheless, its battery optimisation continues to be researched, as up until now it is made of lithium ions. In fact, this material complicates recycling and limits the lifespan of the battery. Alternatives are starting to arise based on sodium, fluoride or zinc-air ions.
- Electric scooters issue less CO2 than cars but more than public transport does. In many cases it does not substitute cars but rather bikes, walks, buses and the metro. Moreover, its use is generally individual and has a short lifespan: between a year and a half and three years, or even less than a month when they are rented as they are not well-maintained, are thrown into rivers, etc.
- Hydrogen vehicles are a new mode of transport promoted by cities, especially for buses. They must be equipped with fuel batteries which allow hydrogen to come into contact with Oxygen and create electricity. The vehicle therefore only emits water. Nevertheless, the energy balance of hydrogen vehicles depends primarily on the type of energy used to produce the chemical reaction (fossil fuels or renewables).
EU context and direction of EC
Sustainable mobility level in continents and countries are pretty different in terms of how advanced and applied from theoretical to practical contexts, although, analyzing EU The European Commission presented its ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’ together with an Action Plan of 82 initiatives that will guide EC work for the next four years. This strategy lays the foundation for how the EU transport system can achieve its green and digital transformation and become more resilient to future crises. As outlined in the European Green Deal, the result will be a 90% cut in emissions by 2050, delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system. The following will provide directions and understanding where the EU and EC are going in the next decades and subsequently, where the mobility sector and especially tourism will follow.
By 2030:
- at least 30 million zero-emission cars will be in operation on European roads
- 100 European cities will be climate neutral.
- high-speed rail traffic will double across Europe
- scheduled collective travel for journeys under 500 km should be carbon neutral
- automated mobility will be deployed at large scale
- zero-emission marine vessels will be market-ready
By 2035:
- zero-emission large aircraft will be market-ready
By 2050:
- nearly all cars, vans, buses as well as new heavy-duty vehicles will be zero-emission.
- rail freight traffic will double.
- a fully operational, multimodal Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) for sustainable and smart transport with high-speed connectivity.
To make our goals a reality, the strategy identifies a total of 82 initiatives in 10 key areas for action (“flagships”), each with concrete measures.
Sustainable
For transport to become sustainable, in practice this means:
- Boosting the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, vessels and aeroplanes, renewable & low-carbon fuels and related infrastructure – for instance by installing 3 million public charging points by 2030.
- Creating zero-emission airports and ports – for instance through new initiatives to promote sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
- Making interurban and urban mobility healthy and sustainable – for instance by doubling high-speed rail traffic and developing extra cycling infrastructure over the next 10 years.
- Greening freight transport – for instance by doubling rail freight traffic by 2050.
- Pricing carbon and providing better incentives for users – for instance by pursuing a comprehensive set of measures to deliver fair and efficient pricing across all transport.
Smart
Innovation and digitalisation will shape how passengers and freight move around in the future if the right conditions are put in place. The strategy foresees:
- Making connected and automated multimodal mobility a reality – for instance by making it possible for passengers to buy tickets for multimodal journeys and freight to seamlessly switch between transport modes.
- Boosting innovation and the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter mobility – for instance by fully supporting the deployment of drones and unmanned aircraft and further actions to build a European Common Mobility Data Space.
Resilient
Transport has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many businesses in the sector are seeing immense operational and financial difficulties. The Commission therefore commits to:
- Reinforce the Single Market – for instance through reinforcing efforts and investments to complete the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) by 2030 and support the sector to build back better through increased investments, both public and private, in the modernisation of fleets in all modes.
- Make mobility fair and just for all – for instance by making the new mobility affordable and accessible in all regions and for all passengers including those with reduced mobility and making the sector more attractive for workers.
- Step up transport safety and security across all modes – including by bringing the death toll close to zero by 2050.