Sustainable mobility in rural areas: paths to more diversity and justice!

Sustainable mobility in rural areas: paths to more diversity and justice!

In rural regions, the dependence on the private car for mobility is undeniable. Whether for the daily trip to work, the way to school, visits to the doctor or purchases - access to a car is often essential. However, this requires a sustainable and socially just approach to mobility, such as Oekonews . Over 20% of the population in Germany lives in rural areas that make up more than two thirds of the total area of the country. Nevertheless, a variety of mobility offers are missing comparable to urban regions.

The need to take measures against rising CO2 emissions is particularly relevant, since emissions in the traffic sector must also be reduced in rural areas. Rural everyday life is often shaped by long distances between home, workplace and shopping, which leads to an above-average CO2 footprint. Traffic here is almost a quarter more intense than in urban areas, and the dependence on the car remains high, since local public transport (public transport) is often unattractive, with low timing and restricted operating times such as the bpb

variety instead of unit solutions

In order to meet the mobility requirement, innovative, multimodal approaches are necessary. Nelly Unger, an expert in sustainable mobility, emphasizes that participatory processes can help develop suitable solutions. Success examples such as the social driving service in Waldburg and the “Fichtelcar” car sharing initiative in Wunsiedel show that alternative concepts are practical. These include car sharing, cargo bike sharing and the expansion of public transport in order to meet the needs of the rural population.

Nevertheless, access to mobility offers remains restricted, especially for low -income households. E-mobility is a central strategy for the traffic transition, but the high acquisition costs for new cars are an obstacle. The idea of social leasing, in which state subsidies of leasing contracts for e-cars are examined in France, could be a help to improve the situation, according to the Vzbv .

political framework conditions

The federal government has taken measures to promote electrical and hybrid vehicles. The introduction of funding programs such as shopping aids and tax advantages should create incentives. From January 1, 2022, owners benefit: inside of electric cars from a purchase bonus and tax relief. However, it is important that such programs are socially fair. The VZBV proposes to couple purchase premiums to income limits in order to make it easier to access even low -income households.

The challenges for the used car market are also considerable. Concerns regarding the durability of batteries and trust in the quality of used electric cars must be addressed. Consumers: Inside, clear information about the condition of vehicle batteries, and nationwide standardization could help here.

In addition, there are considerations to expand the greenhouse gas rate (THG quota) to other electrical vehicles, including pedelecs and e-scooters. These measures could help strengthen alternative forms of mobility and reduce pressure on conventional traffic solutions.

Overall, it can be seen that rural areas faces major challenges regarding mobility. New, adapted mobility offers are necessary to meet the needs of the population and to reduce social inequalities. Autonomous driving and car sharing models could play an important role in this transformation in the future.