Moving Forward Series #1: Behavioral change and the pandemic

The LEDS GP Transport Working Group is publishing a series of five papers co-authored by young people from around the world on sustainable recovery for the transport sector: Leveraging insights from COVID-19 response measures to drive more sustainable, inclusive and resilient transport systems. Érika Martins Silva Ramos co-authored the first paper in the series which focuses on behavioral aspects of travel mode choices.

Moving Forward Series #1 – “Behavioral change and the pandemic

The paper “Behavioral change and the pandemic” provides an understanding of how COVID-19 has impacted sustainable transport modes and examples of how governments are using this moment to leverage the increase in different forms of sustainable mobility (e.g., increased walking and cycling) and to support recovery in the sub-sectors that were most affected (e.g., public transport).       

Érika Martins Silva Ramos co-authored the paper. Érika is a PhD candidate at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden on environmental psychology with focus on transportation. She is part of the Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport programme 2020.

Paper Series “Moving Forward: Sustainable Recovery in Transport”

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a massive impacts on mobility worldwide. With public transport authorities facing financial pressures and ridership dropping worldwide, equitable access through sustainable mobility is at risk. Guaranteeing access to economic, educational and societal opportunities through sustainable mobility options is at the center of equitable recovery and protecting public transport, bike-sharing and other efficient and clean transport services will require concerted efforts from both the national and subnational levels. Economic stimulus packages by national governments and multilateral organizations offer an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate a transformation to sustainable, low carbon transport. Cities are deploying immediate measures, such as tactical urbanism, to facilitate social cohesion while enabling physical distancing and supporting the shift towards sustainable modes of transport. Such measures can drive permanent transformations to low carbon mobility in developing countries by harnessing innovative best practices into a “new normal” of mobility planning and investment.

This paper series aims to provide an understanding of economic, social and policy opportunities that can equip policy makers to create a transformative post-COVID-19 sustainable transport agenda and complement measures to make a case for sustainable transport and mobility in economic recovery packages. Sharing knowledge on positive measures and their potential to drive long-term change can support stakeholders in capitalizing on this critical moment. It will cover five topics related to sustainable, low-carbon transport with the underlying theme of leading towards a more equitable and sustainable post-COVID-19 world. The papers focus on activities in Asia but are covering examples from around the world, making use of the most valuable insights and outcomes.

As recovery continues, research, analysis, and capacity-building are vital to harness socio-economic and policy opportunities to sustainably transform transport systems and to ensure that responses to the crisis help us “build back better.”

The paper was co-authored by Érika Martins Silva Ramos, and Chris Dekki, Angela Enriquez and Nikola Medimorec from the LEDS Transport Working Group.

Upcoming papers: Moving Forward #2 to #5