Regenerative Mobility - How Transport Planners can do "More Good" and not just "Less Bad"?

It is only mid-April, but one could argue that we are already passed the middle of the year. This is true, at least when it comes to our consumption of planetary resources. For the past 10 years or so, we have “celebrated” Earth Overshoot Day (the day when humankind has exhausted Earth's budget for the year) in the beginning of August.

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With this in mind, we will quickly conclude that the traditional sustainability approach alone is not enough when it comes to urban development of the future. Sustainability, in the traditional sense, aims to maintain the current state. However, as global environmental challenges worsen and become more complex, the status quo is not a feasible option. Instead of doing less harm, we need to be able to “do more good”, i.e., all future development projects need to improve the well-being of our societies and the planet, taking into account not only the quality of life of humans but also of all flora and fauna. And that’s where regenerative thinking comes in. According to our experts at Ramboll: “Regenerative thinking is a way to re-imagine our impact and responsibilities toward nurturing the Earth’s well-being, which includes ecological and social systems. It involves understanding the systemic characteristics of society and the environment, where everything is interconnected and reliant on the health and welfare of each other – both positively and negatively.” (More information on our approach can be read here:? https://www.ramboll.com/insights/resilient-societies-and-liveability/regenerative-thinking-collaborating-to-find-new-ways-of-revitalising-nature-and-communities ).

?When browsing articles on regenerative design and thinking, one finds that the concepts and definitions are complex and still evolving. There are, of course, similarities among the different definitions, and many of them emphasize the need for systems thinking, focusing on the restoration and revitalization of nature, and the coexistence of humans and wildlife

In urban development and design, there are already many solutions that aim towards regeneration. For example, adding more biodiversity, good micro-climate, storm-water managements … can be done with nature-based solutions, green roofs and facade solutions. However, regenerative design is about designing a holistic process that cannot be achieved with singular solutions but with a transformational and interconnected way of designing.

So, several pieces of puzzle exist that are aiming for regenerative design with buildings, energy facilities, and underwater structures. Alone, however, even these solutions are not enough, and as standalone solutions they wouldn't meet the criteria of begin regenerative design. However, with a holistic view and combining these solutions and creating additional synergies among different disciplines, we have a possibility to reach the regenerative future.

What about mobility then? How does regenerative design apply to transport planning? How do we do “more good” and not just “less bad”, when – at least at first glance – pretty much every infrastructure investment worsens the situation for nature and animals? In a way, the most sustainable trip is the one you don't make. Actually, we did see the impacts of reduced movement during the COVID-19 pandemic: there was a significant improvement in global air and water quality, a massive decrease in the combustion of fossil fuels, and overall energy consumption. But at the same time, people are built to move, and during the past decade (excluding the years of the pandemic), people have been traveling more than ever before.

So, let’s assume that we can’t stop people from moving, but we need to think about how to embed regenerative thinking into mobility and transport planning. How would that look in practice, and are there already existing frameworks and guidelines for regenerative mobility?

Currently, there are not many research papers or articles available on regenerative design in mobility. There is more focus on transport infrastructure and urban planning in a broader context. Some of these have elements and ideas around transport planning too. Like with the broader definition of regenerative thinking, there are similarities and differences between different interpretations and frameworks. One research paper defines regenerative infrastructure so that “during its lifecycle, the infrastructure must create proactive regenerative practices, cultures, and systems. It has a net-positive impact on the climate and biodiversity (environment), while also improving the long-term capabilities and well-being of communities (society).” (Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338248561_Regenerative_Mobility_Disruption_and_Urban_Evolution )

Other articles highlight similar themes when describing the expectations for regenerative infrastructure and mobility. Overall, when looking at a mobility/transport planning project through the regenerative lens, a well-executed project should include the following aspects:

-?????? Social sustainability: Mobility solutions need to be accessible to all. Regardless of one’s background, income, health conditions, and other factors, everyone needs equal access to motorized mobility.

-?????? Collectiveness: From motorized personal cars to shared systems and high-quality, energy-efficient public transport systems.

-?????? Biodiversity and multifunctionality: We can’t have more infrastructure and vehicles to cater only our need to move; we must always consider whether a piece of urban fabric could be used for other purposes too. Can it be a home for different kinds of flora or a food supply for fauna?

-?????? Digitalization: Returning to the statement “the less we travel, the better it is for the environment,” we must consider how digitalization may reduce the need for travel completely and help us combine trips to further reduce the total number of kilometers traveled.

-?????? Energy effectiveness and production: Can we transform part of the kinetic energy created by our movement into electric energy? Is it possible, for example, to convert human walking motion into energy, or can we use dynamo-like solutions more with our vehicles?

-?????? Agriculture: Can some of the mobility solutions support the theme of “everything as a nutrient”. I.e. can the fabric that is used for mobility solutions, be also part of the food production, or for instance, can the materials that are used in a cycling bridge recycled at the end of the life cycle, and e.g. used as a nutrition for one of the species that we share the plant with?

Finally, it is safe to say that we are dealing with very complex questions and systemic problems. It would be great to get your ideas around regenerative thinking and how that could be embedded in mobility so that one day it is business as usual, and we can “do more good” in all our transport planning projects. I would appreciate your thoughts and best practices, please share them below. ??

Ramboll #letsclosethegap #regeneration #regenerativedesign #regenerativethinking #domoregood #smartmobility #transportplanning #EarthOvershootDay #sustainability #smartcities #regenerativecities

A big thank you to Katri Einola for valuable comments when writing this article.

References:

https://jfsdigital.org/articles-and-essays/2023-2/vol-28-no-1-september-2023/regenerative-futures-eight-principles-for-thinking-and-practice/

?https://designforsustainability.medium.com/sustainability-is-not-enough-we-need-regenerative-cultures-4abb3c78e68b

https://www.archdaily.com/993206/what-is-regenerative-architecture-limits-of-sustainable-design-system-thinking-approach-and-the-future

https://www.statista.com/chart/28406/international-tourism-growth/

https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/regenerative-food-production#:~:text=Regenerative%20food%20production%20makes%20harvests,changes%20in%20temperature%20and%20precipitation .?

https://overshoot.footprintnetwork.org/newsroom/past-earth-overshoot-days/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338248561_Regenerative_Mobility_Disruption_and_Urban_Evolution