European Mobility Atlas: The Turning Point Opportunity in the Crisis

Green Deal as Framework - Money Must Be Properly Invested

The overarching framework of the European Green Deal is to be welcomed, but it can only be successful if financial resources are provided as well, argue Ueberschär and van de Rakt. These resources must then be directed toward the right transport infrastructures and mobility forms, they caution. The pandemic packages must therefore be linked to a clear commitment to transformation and sustainability criteria. In this context, the EU's declaration of 2021 as the "Year of the Rail" is also welcomed. Rail should be the strong backbone of a resilient and sustainable European transport sector. This requires overcoming national limitations with the aim of creating a trans-European and integrated network across all borders. Decommissioned routes must also be reactivated. Therefore, the Atlas includes an overview of already active or planned rail projects, from night trains to high-speed connections.

"Recovery in the European Union will not be sustainable if the focus is not on forward-looking investments," appeal Ueberschär and van de Rakt.

Fundamentally, the authors state that with the pandemic, motorized individual transport has increased in the EU, and this could nullify efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, air traffic has drastically decreased, and many more citizens are using bicycles as a means of transport instead of public transport, as Philipp Cerny explains. The Atlas is intended to showcase the diversity of already implemented sustainable mobility solutions in the EU, adds Martin Keim, who particularly points to the included folding maps with "best practice" examples. For instance, a graphic highlights the shining example of the city of Copenhagen, which has invested 295 million euros in the metropolitan area to create star-shaped cycling highways. Their socio-economic benefit is estimated at 795 million euros, making it a good deal for the environment and quality of life in the city. By 2045, the cycling highways, currently extending almost 250 kilometers, will connect the metropolis and its surrounding area over 746 kilometers, largely free of traffic lights and wide. Generally, the bicycle is seen as a "game changer" that can foster regional economic structures through bike production and small businesses.

The Car Takes Up Too Much Space - Fossil Can Never Be Climate-Friendly

Motorized individual transport is reaching its limits. A European transport sector dominated by fossil fuels continues to contribute to global warming, air pollution, and noise emissions, the authors fundamentally observe. Cars take up far too much space, and the limited public space must be used more efficiently for cyclists, pedestrians, and various forms of public transport, they further demand. Digitalization opportunities could help here, as they allow different modes of transport to be linked. Fossil fuels can never be climate-friendly. Therefore, the transport transition must go hand in hand with the energy transition, the authors appeal further. They also call for the external costs incurred by driving or traveling with fossil fuel-based means of transport to be accounted for and advocate for a "polluter pays principle."