Leipzig. Car-free cities make a significant contribution to a just mobility transition. In addition to their potential for CO2 reduction, they offer scope for creating a higher quality of life through cleaner air, spaces for social interaction, and greater safety. The [organization/institution] publishes information on the concrete feasibility and political framework for car-free cities. Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie A dossier today.
“Our cities were built for cars – with serious consequences for the lives of city dwellers. To put people and their needs at the heart of urban planning, the number of cars must be drastically reduced. With our dossier, we show how this can be achieved and which instruments have been widely tested in other countries,” says Carolina Achilles, author of the dossier.
The transport sector contributes significantly to the climate crisis. With almost 150 million tons of CO2 equivalents annually, it is responsible for one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. Furthermore, city centers are congested with parked, stuck, and moving cars; exhaust fumes and particulate matter cause serious health problems, and cars are involved in 72% of traffic accidents. At the same time, there is a lack of green spaces, meeting places, affordable housing, and playgrounds.
“To advance the mobility transition, it must finally be enshrined in law that health and climate protection take precedence over traffic flow. Currently, municipalities often have their hands tied. To change this, a fundamental reform of traffic law is needed,” Achilles continued.
Germany's automotive sector is facing profound change. This report highlights why a comprehensive mobility revolution should be pursued instead of simply switching to different drive systems. Instead of pushing ahead with the highly resource-intensive electrification of individualized car traffic, which is associated with human rights violations, the moment of change should be used to its full transformative potential. "In cities, the focus must be on residents, their health, the quality of life, the equitable distribution of public space, and climate and species protection," the author states.
This publication is part of the project “Building Blocks for Climate Justice”, which continuously publishes policy proposals for a socio-ecological transformation.