[sustran] Re: What is 'Sustainable Transportation'? (And how, if at all, does it relate to the New Mobility Agenda?)

[On the Train Towards the Future!]

Hi Eric,

Just a few comments...

> Also commonly referred to [Sustainable Transport] or [Sustainable 
> Mobility], there is no widely accepted definition of sustainable 
> transportation by any of these names. One offered by the Organization for 
> Economic Cooperation and Development 
> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_for_Economic_Cooperation_and_De
> velopment] (OECD) may be noted: "Transportation that does not endanger 
> public health or ecosystems and meets mobility needs consistent with (a) 
> use of renewable resources at below their rates of regeneration and (b) 
> use of non-renewable resources at below the rates of development of 
> renewable substitutes".

Last thing first, while I like the OECD definition, it is actually pretty hardcore, because, obviously, all motorised transportation uses fuel with at least mimimal effects (for example, post-consumer biogas used in a train)... and even bicycle manufacturing uses lots of energy-intensive aluminum (not to mention the problems with bauxite mining).

BUT, most important, I think that "sustainable transport" and "sustainable mobility" are not interchangeable terms, not all. It goes like this: "Sustainable development" is the starting point, and a part of that is "sustainble mobility" which means choosing to or having the choice to move OR not to move (and the design of the place you live affects that), but, once you decide to move, "Sustainable transport" is what you keep in mind.

I have been saying "sustainable, complementary, appropriate mobility" (SCAM)  in order to emphasize:
- Sustainability
- Complementary, in order to emphasize the variety of modes to achieve sustainable mobility, from not having to move to the often controversial, but still way more efficient than an airplane, high speed train... and so people dont think one mode is the solution. (Of course, walking to the car is a complementary action!)
- Appropriate, to emphasize that a solution has to be appropriate for where it is used (bikes and bus rapid transit, as minimum in the not richest parts of the developing world) to keeping cars out of cities but allowing them if not encouraging them for intercity travel, for places where most citizens can afford cars. Appropriate all reflects back to the "being able to choose not to move" situation, meaning making a city so you dont have to move very far. 

But I am not really satisfied with my SCAM thing, and "sustainable mobility" still emphasizes mobility too much, because people think mobility means transport, and that mobility means freedom (the selfish meaning of "freedom")

If we want to promote sustainability, in the macro-est sense of the term, we need to proximity and access, not mobility.

If we continue to emphasize mobility, we continue to accept the construction of suburbs because "it is okay! It will have a high-capacity light-rail link!!" but if people dont use the train for whatever reason they might be only able to get there by car.

"Sustainable mobility" as a concept is too open to abuse by makers of hybrid cars and "new, more fuel efficient, quieter airplanes".

So, we need a new term! Or at least I do. 

BUT anyway, your proposed entry for Wiki has lots of good information in it.

------------------------------------------------------

Todd Edelman
International Coordinator
On the Train Towards the Future!

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