Cities to be more ambitious – Sustainable transport

In recent years the world has become more aware and has focused its attention on climate change. One of the ways in which the United Nations chooses to tackle this issue is by being sustainable. They plan to do this by having a target of 1.5ºC, which is only possible if CO2 emissions are reduced by 45% at the end of 2030(The Economist, 2022). Being sustainable not only means using renewable energy but also implementing sustainable infrastructure to increase Urban Resilience toward natural disasters. In this Blog, I am focussing on sustainable transport as private transport is increasing which in turn also increases carbon emissions. Sustainable transport should easily be accessible to the masses but also provide good affordability. It also should help reduce emissions and sustainable infrastructure to support this.

What can we do to improve sustainable transport in the Uk?

Each Local Authority must be ambitious within their local plan if Uk is to reach the COP26 goal. Having more ambitious goals would require developers to propose sustainable development that would provide robust infrastructure. Nationally government have produced various documents which support the need for sustainable transport. However, to ensure each local authority can meet the standard of national guidelines, the government must provide incentives for developers or funding that can help local authorities. More funding can aid with having more designers within their team who can advise authorities with all the proposals.

Nottingham- Case Study

Nottingham set the most challenging carbon neutrality goal of any UK city in 2021. It exceeds the UK’s national goal of net zero by 2050 with a 2028 deadline. Nottingham relies on cutting-edge technology and research to accomplish the ambitious goal. Nottingham placed 42.30 out of 60 on a list identifying the UK’s most environmentally friendly transportation system. The city today has a fleet of over 178 buses that run on electricity or biogas, as well as a very well-liked public transportation system that accounts for more than 40% of all trips.

Study done by USWITCH

Digital twins, which create a visual representation of a real-world artefact, in this case, a city with its infrastructure, electricity and drainage systems, and transportation, are a powerful technology for Nottingham. These 3D visualisations can be used to model various city planning scenarios before selecting the best course of action because they are based on data continuously gathered from their real-world counterparts.

Nottingham is already on track to achieve its lofty objectives: by 2020, it will have reduced its carbon emissions by 41% over the previous 15 years and will have surpassed its aim of generating 20% of its energy from low-carbon sources. One of the ways they achieved this is by sourcing establishments like restaurants and schools to buy their food locally in order to reduce food miles and waste. This entails protecting a crucial resource. Also reducing methane emissions from decomposing food in landfills affects the climate.

Ways in which we can be sustainable in our transport choices

Give your vehicle the day off and go for a walk, a bike ride, or take the bus. You might park further away and walk the remaining distance if the distance discourages you. Additionally, walking offers the added advantages of being less expensive and healthy.

Buses not only transport people effectively, but they also produce some of the fewest emissions per passenger of any other method of transportation. And they only continue to become greener!

By just car sharing, you can save money, make new friends, and lessen your carbon footprint. In order to save money and enjoy company on your commute. Liftshare connects you with other residents and workers.

Turn to electricity. Electric cars frequently cost less to operate and repair.