Thread by @shoysniemi

Interesting study on #transport #foresight connecting with #energy and #climate #governance. Some points and comments (thread)

https://twitter.com/agoraverkehr/status/1314124233929306112

First of all, 👏👏👏 for discussing transport from the perspective of #foreignpolicy and #governance, which is a rarity in this field dominated by engineering!

The study notes global transport sector emits now 8 Gt of C02, but if we want to reach 2°C target, emissions should be reduced to 4.7 Gt and 2Gt for 1.5°C. Big challenge as under current trends we are approaching 12 Gt by 2050.

This is not a sustainability issue in a narrow sense, as social divides e.g. in terms of gender and race but also urban and rural need to mitigated simultaneously with emissions.

The study also calls for a more integrated (global) governance between trade, energy and transport. I reckon #sectorcoupling debate within energy policy is a good starting point for a dialogue, yet it’s not straightforward.

As e.g. Van de Graaf and Colgan note there is no lack of institutions in global (energy) governance, but that (fossil fuels driven) energy security receives more attention than e.g. #goodgovernance or #sustainabilitytransition.

doi-org.libproxy.helsinki.fi/10.1057/palcom…

I reckon the debate and research under geopolitics of renewables is one place where the discussion on transport could fit, including e.g. discussion of critical minerals needed for batteries. springer.com/gp/book/978331…

But I think personally e.g. IRENA is not yet (politically) large or broad enough body for such task.

It is also needs to be highlighted that there is no global institution for transport in specific and as the study notes: “UN bodies for international aviation (ICAO) and international maritime transport (IMO) [are] lacking ambition regarding the decarbonisation of the sector”

And as the study highlights, aviation is an area that requires the most ambition and so far the track record is not good at all.

https://twitter.com/StefanGossling/status/1306099600110039040

The study also nicely departs from common technological solutionism and notes that automated or electric vehicles are no silver bullets, but rather increasing support for active modes of transport is vital in urban areas coupled with measures of behavioural change.

What I hope is that instead of nudges or more marketing campaigns planners and decision-makers would take cue e.g. from studies of affordances instead of Theory of Planned Behaviour, etc.:

https://twitter.com/RoopeKaaronen/status/1306891433236930560

And final aspect that has received too little attention in policy and research is that the regime resistance of automotive and fossil fuel industries is strong and it requires much much more political efforts, but also social scientific research.

https://twitter.com/giulio_mattioli/status/1252334696580726784