Innovation in mobility : combining vision, technology and behavioural change

This book chapter is from Planet for Life 2014 : innovation for sustainable development:Innovation has become the new buzzword across the globe. International organisations, governments, corporates, academia and society see it as the answer to the major economic, social and environmental transformations challenging the models of the 20th century. Innovations are occurring worldwide and alternative solutions to the existing problems are emerging in all sectors: electric cars, organic farming, renewable energy and e-learning are good examples. These alternatives can be ascribed with qualities such as decentralized frugal, flexible, smart and democratic, virtues that are lacking in conventional models. They are attributed with the potential to meet the overall global challenges such as climate change and the growing inequalities between and within countries. What is the real potential of innovation? Does the rapid deployment of innovations lead towards a more sustainable and inclusive society? Can innovations and the emerging alternatives replace conventional models? Beyond technologies, what institutional innovations are required to support sustainable development? A Planet for Life 2014 aims to answer these questions and explore innovation in all its aspects, through a series of texts written by international experts. The objective of this book is to analyse experiences from across the world and the role of innovation in a variety of areas of development such as urbanization, agriculture and food, the mobility of people and freight, education and the provision of water and energy to all.