Quantifying minimum mobility and transport needs: The who, the where and the why
Speaker: Marlin Arnz, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and Jihoon Min, IIASA
Moderator: John P. Pritchard, OECD-ITF
Abstract: The concept of “sustainable consumption corridors” bridges two topics critical to assessing energy and transport systems: human wellbeing and planetary boundaries. However, large disagreements remain regarding how to define minimum, essential and decent levels of demand, which form the floor of such corridors. Aggregate approaches based upon distance travelled (e.g. passenger-kilometres) are insufficient, as they omit why people move. To address this gap, “decent mobility” is defined here as the condition when an individual can enact a set of trips that allow satisfaction of their needs, within their resources and capabilities. In the webinar we explain how this definition unifies (i) individual capabilities and resources (time, money), (ii) available physical infrastructure and services, and (iii) socio-political contexts that shape personal freedom. We show how we operationalise and quantify decent mobility with a “persona” approach. We show two case studies with very distinct mobility systems – Switzerland and Mauritius – to illustrate the flexibility of the framework. They show which methods and data sources are required to consistently assess decent mobility of individuals, as well as travel time, distance, energy use, and emissions. Overall, the framework offers a method for evaluating present and future transport systems by putting human needs and their heterogeneity at the centre.
The webinar will largely build on the paper published in 2025: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2025.104306
Register in advance: https://cmcc-it.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5ITrCne7QQ2X3GwPGNihkg
