Some thoughts on policy legitimacy and the role of visions in transformation of passenger mobility

• For the transport system to meet planetary boundaries the consequence will be less and slower mobility for most people in Sweden as well as for a large global middle class. ‘Less’ implying shorter and more seldom travel, and ‘slower’ implying train rather than plane; walking, cycling, public transport and other shared modes rather than the car; and slower speed when going by car. However, this contradicts completely with the high mobility society of fast, comfortable and cheap mobility options that for most people is conceived as an advantage, and makes it difficult for politicians to suggest measurs that reduce and slow down mobility. Such policy instruments lack policy legitimacy in the population.There are however, some ways to gain legitimacy, including building of positive visions of the better life with less and slower mobility. The need for such visions is also stressed by the recent general elections in Sweden, Italy and the US. where climate hardly played a role despite heavy drought in Europe, 1/3 of Pakistan flooded this summer, and the hurricane Iain in the US. This underlines that the assumption that climate catastrophes will make citizens require action, seems to be wrong, and that the negative threat of disasters has to be complemented with positive visions of the better life in a society with less and slower mobility.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Transportteknik och logistik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Transport Systems and Logistics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

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