MOVE - International Cluster for Mobility Management Development and Research Dissemination
Overview
Background & policy context:
Energy consumption in the European Union is rising and so its our dependency on fossil fuels. At the same time, the EU has signed the Kyoto Protocol committing it to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 by 8%, in comparison to 1990 levels.
Had transport sector emissions followed the same reduction trend as in society as a whole, the total EU 27 greenhouse gas emissions during the period 1990-2005 would have fallen by 14% instead of only 7,9%. Improving vehicle technology and fuel quality have not been enough. Indeed, to achieve emission reductions, measures and policy instruments must also address demand for transport in a serious way.
Since individual cars stand for 74% of passenger transports (2004), encouraging the use of more sustainable passenger transport modes is one way of tackling greenhouse gas emissions from transport.
In this framework, the purpose of the MOVE project has been to encourage European energy agencies and similar organisations to work with Mobility Management and to present sustainable alternatives that will lead to more energy efficient transport and to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Objectives:
The overall objective of the project was to encourage European energy agencies and communities to work on mobility issues and to offer alternatives to the use of fossil fuels, thus leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This main objective was achieved through:
- The provision of methods to help communities in their endeavour towards less energy intensive transport modes,
- Projects carried on a local level in order to offer best practicexamples and success stories encouraging more actors to work with mobility issues,
- Demonstrate possible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions due to individual projects,
- Propose a set of reasonably achievable targets,
- Demonstrate the resulting cost-benefit analysis and the positive health effects.
The purpose of this project was therefore to select tools, and establish methods and standards within the partnerships based on existing European initiatives: these links were used to achieve changes in attitudes and behaviour, leading to a change towards less energy intensive transport modes.
The MOVE project chose to adopt both an European and national focus, in order to achieve the transferability and dissemination potential of this project, i.e. attempting to gain better cost effectiveness in dissemination. The project's outputs - a Mobility Cluster, Internet site and regional mobility agencies - were therefore important tools in this project's success.
Methodology:
The first step for the partnership was to agree upon and implement a common platform that would make it easier to carry out Mobility Management actions on regional or local level and make it possible to profit from each other’s experiences. The common platform consisted of the following elements:
- Common training in Mobility Management through e-ATOMIUM (a shared knowledge tool for energy agencies),
- Commitment to the use of SUMO model (a tool for systematic planning, evaluation
- and management of projects in the field of travel and transports) for the evaluation of local projects,
- Creation of virtual Mobility Agencies to coordinate mobility activities with strategic partners,
- The implementation of Mobility Projects on a local level.
Tha rationale of this platform was the following: training and practice provide knowledge and skills. The SUMO model helps to understand what worked and what did not. This knowledge is communicated to the stakeholders and other key actors through Mobility Agencies. Based on this information new projects are initiated. They in turn provide with new skills and new knowledge, etc.
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