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A Smarter Choice? Exploring the Behaviour Change Agenda for Environmentally Sustainable Mobility

Author

Listed:
  • Stewart Barr

    (School of Geography, University of Exeter, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ, England)

  • Jan Prillwitz

    (Independent Travel Behaviour Researcher, Leipzig, Germany)

Abstract

This paper explores some of the limitations of individualistic approaches towards the study and promotion of environmentally sustainable practices within the context of efforts by states to tackle global climate change. Using the example of government attempts to promote sustainable mobility through behavioural shifts amongst citizens in the UK, the paper argues that an overreliance on individualistic approaches poses three major challenges through the ways in which: (1) mobility is intricately entwined with social practices and consumption settings; (2) practices of (un)sustainable mobility are related to the structure and organisation of physical environments; and (3) solutions for sustainable mobility are framed through narrow political lenses that fail to address the potential social transformations needed to tackle climate change. Accordingly, the paper argues that both researchers and policy makers need to revisit the assumptions made concerning the role of individuals and their relationship to underlying sociostructural and political challenges for reducing carbon emissions from transport.

Suggested Citation

  • Stewart Barr & Jan Prillwitz, 2014. "A Smarter Choice? Exploring the Behaviour Change Agenda for Environmentally Sustainable Mobility," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 32(1), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:32:y:2014:i:1:p:1-19
    DOI: 10.1068/c1201
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gustav Bösehans & Ian Walker, 2020. "Do supra-modal traveller types exist? A travel behaviour market segmentation using Goal framing theory," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 243-273, February.
    2. Filippo Corsini & Rafael Laurenti & Franziska Meinherz & Francesco Paolo Appio & Luca Mora, 2019. "The Advent of Practice Theories in Research on Sustainable Consumption: Past, Current and Future Directions of the Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. te Brömmelstroet, Marco, 2014. "Sometimes you want people to make the right choices for the right reasons: potential perversity and jeopardy of behavioural change campaigns in the mobility domain," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 141-144.
    4. Phillips, Martin & Dickie, Jennifer, 2019. "Moving to or from a carbon dependent countryside," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 253-268.
    5. Jessica Berg & Malin Henriksson & Jonas Ihlström, 2019. "Comfort First! Vehicle-Sharing Systems in Urban Residential Areas: The Importance for Everyday Mobility and Reduction of Car Use among Pilot Users," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Iosifidi, Maria, 2016. "Environmental awareness, consumption, and labor supply: Empirical evidence from household survey data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1-11.
    7. Hopkins, Debbie, 2016. "Can environmental awareness explain declining preference for car-based mobility amongst generation Y? A qualitative examination of learn to drive behaviours," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 149-163.
    8. Cass, Noel & Faulconbridge, James, 2016. "Commuting practices: New insights into modal shift from theories of social practice," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-14.
    9. Plazier, Paul A. & Weitkamp, Gerd & van den Berg, Agnes E., 2017. "“Cycling was never so easy!” An analysis of e-bike commuters' motives, travel behaviour and experiences using GPS-tracking and interviews," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 25-34.

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