Shared mobility: Making travel easier for all » Yale Climate Connections

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Introduction:

The news topic “Shared mobility: Making travel easier for all » Yale Climate Connections” has drawn international attention, with various media outlets providing diverse insights, historical context, political stances, and on-the-ground developments. Below is a curated overview of how different countries and media organizations have covered this topic recently.

Quick Summary:

• Shared mobility could be a key part of a more sustainable transportation system. But to be most effective, it needs to include everyone. Users are disproportionately younger, wealthier, able-bodied, white and male. On-demand shared mobility that feeds into well-developed public transportation systems could reduce the number of vehicles in some cities by 90 percent. But only if it largely replaces private car use. Achieving that goal will be challenging, especially in the Global North, where people choose private cars for 61 percent of the kilometers they travel.. To move more people away from private vehicles to shared ones, expanding access to a wider share of the population is an important first step, says Luis Martinez, lead modeler at the International Transport Forum, who coauthored a paper on shared mobility and sustainability in the 2024 Annual Review of Environment and Resources.
• Carshares, bikeshares and the like are a positive for the environment, though access to them isn’t equal. What can be done to give everyone more transportation options?
• Eco-friendly dreams of shared micromobility have not materialized without problems. The true climate benefits of these fleets depends upon how companies deploy and manage them. Safety remains a concern as injuries climb. But industry leaders appear intent on ensuring their scooters are as sustainable and safe as possible.“It’s really important as a company that has set a net-zero target by 2030,” said Andrew Savage, Lime’S head of sustainability, “that we walk the walk, and that we do everything we can to inspire the industries around us to decarbonize as well.’ “Sustainability is an active area of research in a fast-changing industry. Ultimately, researchers see two factors that determine the overall climate impact of e-scooters: how users ride them, and how operators manage them from manufacturing to disposal.

Country-by-Country Breakdown:

Original Coverage

Shared mobility could be a key part of a more sustainable transportation system. But to be most effective, it needs to include everyone. Users are disproportionately younger, wealthier, able-bodied, white and male. On-demand shared mobility that feeds into well-developed public transportation systems could reduce the number of vehicles in some cities by 90 percent. But only if it largely replaces private car use. Achieving that goal will be challenging, especially in the Global North, where people choose private cars for 61 percent of the kilometers they travel.. To move more people away from private vehicles to shared ones, expanding access to a wider share of the population is an important first step, says Luis Martinez, lead modeler at the International Transport Forum, who coauthored a paper on shared mobility and sustainability in the 2024 Annual Review of Environment and Resources. Read full article

Kaja Šeruga, Knowable Magazine, Author at Yale Climate Connections

Carshares, bikeshares and the like are a positive for the environment, though access to them isn’t equal. What can be done to give everyone more transportation options? Read full article

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned? » Yale Climate Connections

Eco-friendly dreams of shared micromobility have not materialized without problems. The true climate benefits of these fleets depends upon how companies deploy and manage them. Safety remains a concern as injuries climb. But industry leaders appear intent on ensuring their scooters are as sustainable and safe as possible.“It’s really important as a company that has set a net-zero target by 2030,” said Andrew Savage, Lime’S head of sustainability, “that we walk the walk, and that we do everything we can to inspire the industries around us to decarbonize as well.’ “Sustainability is an active area of research in a fast-changing industry. Ultimately, researchers see two factors that determine the overall climate impact of e-scooters: how users ride them, and how operators manage them from manufacturing to disposal. Read full article

India makes a big bet on electric buses

India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a $7 billion initiative to support 10,000 new electric buses in 169 Indian cities. The PM-eBus Sewa program prioritizes small to medium-sized cities of up to 4 million people. India hopes this will make public transport — not private vehicles — integral to sustainable urban growth and city culture in the country that last year overtook China to become the world’s most populous nation. India’s burgeoning cities are expected to be home to an estimated 416 million more people by 2050 — the largest urban increase in the world. But more traffic and pollution is not inevitable, since India has yet to build 70 to 80% of city infrastructure that will be needed by 2050. The government initiative aims to make clean, electrified public transportation the norm. Read full article

Want to live in a walkable, bikeable city? Follow these tips.

Cars are the largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S. Walking, biking and public transit are all good ways to reduce emissions. The first step is to get to know your community. The second is to make sure you’re not the only one using these methods. The third is to find a way to make your own transportation more efficient and sustainable. For more information, visit the National Transportation Safety Board’s website at: http://www.ntsb.org/news/press-releases/2013/01/09/13/news-reporters-take-a-look-at-what-is-wrong-with-our-public-transportation-system-and-how-we-can-reduce-carbon-emissions-in-the-us.html. Read full article

American society wasn’t always so car-centric. Our future doesn’t have to be, either. » Yale Climate Connections

Transportation is the largest source of planet-warming gases in the U.S. Passenger vehicles are the top emitters within the sector. Many policymakers, transportation advocates, and urbanists are making the case that America’s future doesn’t need to be built around the car. One prominent skeptic of transportation fixes that rely solely on cars is historian Peter Norton, a professor at the University of Virginia. He has spent years working to understand the role of cars in American society — and pushing back against truisms about the national love affair with automobiles. He says a radical revision of our conception of what a city street is for is the key to a sustainable future for the country, and for the rest of the world. The U.N. and Department of Transportation say that people need to drive less to reduce car emissions. Read full article

Global Perspectives Summary:

Global media portray this story through varied cultural, economic, and political filters. While some focus on geopolitical ramifications, others highlight local impacts and human stories. Some nations frame the story around diplomatic tensions and international relations, while others examine domestic implications, public sentiment, or humanitarian concerns. This diversity of coverage reflects how national perspectives, media freedom, and journalistic priorities influence what the public learns about global events.

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Sources:

• Original Article
• Kaja Šeruga, Knowable Magazine, Author at Yale Climate Connections
• 8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned? » Yale Climate Connections
• India makes a big bet on electric buses
• Want to live in a walkable, bikeable city? Follow these tips.
• American society wasn’t always so car-centric. Our future doesn’t have to be, either. » Yale Climate Connections

Source: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/05/shared-mobility-making-travel-easier-for-all/