Urban Transport Solutions for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Future: Macro-Environmental Analysis

Abstract

For decades, the fast population growth worldwide was interrelated with the adopted rapid lifestyle behavior that relies on the extensive use of fossil fuels. This primary energy source has caused various urban and environmental impacts, such as global warming, air pollution, and so forth. Consequently, the identified circumstance issues have caused many health, social, and economic hindering effects for global citizens. It poses an existential threat to humanity and the global earth's ecosystem. The alarming levels of urban pollution emissions are putting enormous challenges to the related stakeholders (governments, businesses, investors, automakers, and citizens) to admit the need to decarbonize the global economy and reach sustainable development goals (SDGs) for cleaner and smarter cities across borders. As such, a vital part of a smart city is the transport sector. The road transport sector, precisely, is one of the primary consumers of fossil fuels that contribute to high carbon dioxide emissions. Accordingly, it is essential to adopt novel and sustainable urban transport solutions and promote the achievement of the SDG's eleventh goal for sustainable cities and communities. This chapter provides insight into the present global energy situation with particular attention to the road transport sector. Indeed, it highlights different emerging technologies for a sustainable and smart urban mobility future that will mitigate the environmental situation thanks to the development of drive and internet telecommunication technologies. Furthermore, we aim in this chapter to study the international progress of the transition project using the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) analysis methodology. This study is to pinpoint opportunities for project development and the challenges that set back its evolution.

Citation

Ben Ali, M. and Boukettaya, G. (2023), "Urban Transport Solutions for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Future: Macro-Environmental Analysis", El Amine Abdelli, M., Sghaier, A., Akbaba, A., Gamoura, S.C. and Mohammadian, H.D. (Ed.) Smart Cities for Sustainability (Advanced Series in Management, Vol. 32), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 49-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1877-636120230000033005