Smart public transport ticketing systems, commuter bike benefits, an attractive network of bike lanes and pedestrian areas, city bikes, and ambassadors for climate-neutral mobility are examples of concrete measures that cities can take to simultaneously promote climate change mitigation and the well-being of urban residents. VTT investigated the connection between sustainable urban mobility and well-being in a project that, for the first time, developed a calculation model to assess the impacts of these benefits.
The aim of the study, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of the Environment, six cities, and an expert consortium, was to form a research-based understanding of how sustainable transport and mobility measures can enhance the achievement of climate neutrality while also increasing the health benefits for residents in urban areas. The project compiled a portfolio of the most impactful measures, based on which a rough calculation model was created to assess the health benefits of these solutions. The model allows cities to examine the magnitude of the health co-benefits of climate solutions and helps identify the most promising solutions.
To support the implementation of these solutions, a five-phase tool was developed in the project to assist key municipal actors and promote the transition towards climate-friendly and health-supportive mobility.
"Our study showed that there are complex interactions between sustainable mobility and health promotion measures. To maximize climate and health impacts, it is essential to understand how the effects of different measures manifest and who they affect," says Principal Scientist Anu Tuominen.
The set of measures created for key municipal actors, complemented by the calculation model and the implementation tool, strengthens the position of Finnish cities as pioneers in climate actions and their health benefits at the EU level. Therefore, the work done in the project can be called the Finnish model.
The project involved the cities of Espoo, Helsinki, Lahti, Lappeenranta, Tampere, and Turku. These pioneering cities in climate policy had already developed smart solutions and measures for achieving climate neutrality in collaboration with the EU and the state as part of the EU's Horizon Europe framework program's Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. The current project continued the work to implement the solutions in practice and strengthen knowledge, particularly from the perspective of residents' mobility and well-being.
The study was conducted by an expert consortium consisting of VTT, the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, and Kausal Ltd. The project was carried out in connection with the EU's Horizon Europe framework program's Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) partnership. The partnership program supports applied research projects aimed at translating knowledge and research into practical solutions in urban areas. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment implemented the project as part of strengthening the knowledge base of urban policy.
Download the report here.
For more information:
Anu Tuominen, Principal Scientist, VTT, anu.tuominen@vtt.fi, +358405028921
Olli Voutilainen, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, first name.last name@gov.fi
