The increasing pollution in large cities and the serious effects of climate change and global warming are forcing cities to look for transport systems that are less harmful to the environment. Most of the polluting emissions in cities come from transport. With millions of vehicles in operation, the consequences for citizens and the planet are significant.
To deal with these problems, the ecomobility, a concept aimed at achieving more sustainable mobility in cities, with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of transport. Do you want to know more about what ecomobility is and its characteristics? Keep reading.
What is ecomobility?
Ecomobility is a concept that arises from the need to integrate ecology into transport. A city's mobility depends on numerous factors, such as the type of fuel, road infrastructure, public transport network, bike lanes and more. Therefore, it is necessary to implement measures that reduce pollution generated by transport.
Ecomobility encompasses all transport systems that allow people and goods to move in a way that preserves and protects the environment. This form of mobility helps reduce pollution and, according to the principle of sustainable development, meets current needs without compromising the capabilities of future generations.
Another name for ecomobility is sustainable mobilityAlthough some people associate it solely with walking, cycling or public transport, it is not limited to these actions. Ecomobility involves a combination of less polluting means of transport and an adequate infrastructure network that allows for more efficient and less damaging transit for the environment.
Importance of ecomobility
Sustainable transport in cities is key to improving air quality and curbing the increase in respiratory problems among citizens. atmospheric pollution It is a silent killer that aggravates diseases such as asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Today, ecomobility is gaining ground in society. Every year, the ecological footprint resulting from transport increases significantly. Although individual actions may seem insignificant, the overall impact is considerable due to the high number of vehicles circulating every day.
The widespread use of fossil fuel-powered vehicles is one of the main causes of the increase in emissions. For example, each personal vehicle emits tons of CO2 per day. This problem is even greater in freight transport, which is often linked to the economy and growth, but which has a large carbon footprint. This is where measures to strengthen ecomobility must be implemented.
A worrying fact is that almost 40% of emissions in cities come from commercial transportationReducing the use of polluting vehicles would not only contribute to improving air quality and public health, but would also reduce the social costs resulting from traffic congestion, accidents and loss of competitiveness.
Solutions that propose sustainable mobility
Ecomobility offers solutions to improve the efficiency of transport in cities. A clear example is this figure: a street 3,5 metres wide can accommodate around 2.000 people in cars. If these people use bicycles, the number rises to 14.000; if they walk, to 19.000; if they use light rail, to 22.000; and if they use buses, to 43.000. This shows that choosing the right mode of transport has a huge impact.
Among the actions implemented by ecomobility are:
- Encourage the use of public bicycle systems in the cities.
- Prioritize public transportation about the private.
- increase the pedestrian zones to reduce car use.
- Restrict car access to certain urban areas.
- Promote the sharing of vehicles and Maximize your occupancy.
In addition, road infrastructure plays a crucial role in sustainable mobility. Streets and roads must be designed to minimise both travel distances and congestion, as the latter generate disproportionately high levels of pollution.
It is also essential to use vehicles with cleaner fuels and with zero emissions, like electric cars. If electricity is generated from renewable sources, these vehicles have virtually no environmental impact. In this sense, the electrification of urban transport will be key.
Sertrans and ecomobility
Freight transport is responsible for around 40% of emissions in cities. Aware of this, companies such as Sertrans They have been focusing for years on reducing the impact of their logistics operations by adopting ecomobility practices.
Among the measures implemented by Sertrans, the planning of routes stands out for reduce time and emissions. Drivers update routes in real time, thereby also reducing distances traveled and inefficiencies.
In addition, the use of its vehicles has been optimized by Renting larger fleets, which reduces the number of trips and, therefore, the emissions generated. Finally, Sertrans has increased the use of intermodal transport, combining land transport with other less polluting means.
Ecomobility presents significant challenges, but its implementation is vital to ensuring a sustainable future. Adopting sustainable practices in urban transport not only benefits the environment, but also health and local economies.