Mobility and increased access to transportation are among the major global forces for the alleviation of poverty. This is especially pressing in areas if the world that are developing rapidly, as exemplified by China andIndia. It is also true in the United States where there remain enormous gaps in mobility between rich and poor. Growing concern over the need to address global sustainability focuses attention upon the rise in greenhousegases that is increasingly associated with rapid rises in mobility. It is often suggested that improved mobility will have to be sacrificed in order to achieve sustainability. This paper examines the tradeoff between theimportance of mobility in economic development and the need to reduce theproduction of greenhouse gases in order to achieve global sustainability. The attainment of “sustainable mobility” requires increased global access to goods, services, education, and economic opportunity alongside reductions in the production of greenhouse gases. The attainment of one cannotbe made an excuse for foregoing the other. Transportation technology andpolicy must address the twin goals of improving mobility while decreasingproduction of greenhouse gases.
Samenvatting