Sustainable Transportation in Western Europe

Introduction

The concept of sustainability has gained much traction in our 21^st century business world. With the onset of globalization and advanced paced of technological advancement, much of the western world’s development agenda has increasingly focused on ways and means to create less harm to the ongoing climate crisis and environmental degradation. Governments and major corporations across the world have adopted policies over the past two decades to moderate the trend of environmental destruction. Sustainability in the world of energy production and transportation has been an area that has generated much policy interest (Black 1997). Global international institutions and governments in several developed nations have passed policies seeking to encourage sustainability development in transportation, energy and urban development (Chini, 2020).

United Nation’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development focuses on ideals of shared prosperity and the realization of intergenerational responsibilities been attainable through collaborative partnership with all countries and relevant stakeholders. United Nations (2030) Agenda seeks to promote and encourage coordinated approach to sustainable development which in the long term seeks to improve the health of the environment. Reducing the consequences of environmental risk enhances the resilience of societies which ultimately fosters socio-economic development in the society. The concept of sustainability has become more urgent in our 21st century world, specifically because of the concerns of climate crisis, environmental pollution and large scale of deforestation across the globe. There is an unending sight to the rate of economic development and growth of population in urban areas.

Over the past two decades, nation states and international organisations have enacted policies and international treaties with the singular goal of regulating the rapid pace of environmental destruction. This chapter is focused on the twelve countries in Western Europe primarily because the European Union countries have enacted policies with the primary objective of placing more attention to the value of smart cities in their economic development. (Karyy & Knjazevska, 2009). The EU’s 2020 strategic goals includes the development of smart and sustainable communities in Europe (European Union, 2014). Transportation plays a key role in the urban development plans of major developed nations and many Western European nations have taken a significant leap in systematical upgrading and uplifting their transportation system to fit into the 21st century era of fostering policies and concepts of sustainability (De Jong & Van de Riet, 2008). Sustainable transportation is defined as the mode of transportation that is “green” and has minimum impact on the environment. In essence, it is the type of transportation system that creates less cost and burden for future generation to handle or endure. The “green” type of transportation promotes car sharing, transit type of development and fuel-efficient transport system. Non-motorized type of transportation includes walking and biking.

This study provides insight and in-depth understanding of the major factors that influence the development of sustainable transportation in Western Europe. It seeks to identify some of the key factors in transportation and urban development that is creating global environmental degradation and climate crisis. It also attempts to highlight aspect of the urban development plans that is destroying the natural habitats of the earth’s ecosystems and their subsistence. In this context, this chapter aims to present a review of critical studies conducted over the past two decades by exploring the issues of environmental issues which has been precipitated by the growth of exponential population growth and economic growth. Importantly, this chapter reviews the literature on Western European transportation systems and the progress made towards an environmentally sustainable transports system in these nations.