Sustainable urban mobility has been the topic of Connective Cities workshops in Asia and Latin America. In view of the world’s current rapid urbanisation process – with a large amount of urban growth still to come – urban growth patterns and land use systems that are compact, resource-efficient and less dependent on the use of fossil fuel based transit play a particularly important role for achieving sustainable urban mobility. 

The goal of a low carbon and resource efficient mobility is globally recognised and finds its formalization in many national and international strategies such as the German and the European mobility strategies. However, to transform this goal into reality policies supporting low carbon mobility need to be put in place and implemented effectively.

Land-use zoning policies that allow for higher densities and greater mixing of residential and commercial uses can reduce trip distances and frequency while strategic mass transit linkages can attract development and thus promote more compact urban growth. Within the transportation sector, policies to increase the quality and availability of public transportation, bicycle, foot travel and electro-mobility supplement policies to discourage or restrict fossil-fuel based vehicle travel and circulation.

Therefore, cities have to choose a coordinated and planned, yet flexible approach to the management of urban mobility which reflects the needs of their citizens and promotes the creation of compact cities which enable people, particularly the poor to access jobs, educational and health services more easily, reduces fuel consumption and provides more opportunities for social interaction and a high quality of living for all inhabitants. Such transformation process of the transport systems in cities does not only benefit the environment and climate but also contributes to the protection of the health of urban citizens.