Climate change. A word that is almost part of our everyday life these days. In this context, sustainability and the reduction of CO2 emissions are always discussed.

Most CO2 emissions come from the transport sector of road traffic, i.e. cars, trucks and buses. With a share of about 25% (2018 - approx. 8.26 billion tonnes of CO2) of the CO2 emitted worldwide, this is the second largest carbon dioxide emission. [1]

In order to reduce CO2 emissions, a research focus must now be placed on sustainable mobility, especially in rural areas of the corresponding transport sector. Next to the development of new concepts, already existing concepts are being rethought due to the fact that many mobility concepts created for urban areas cannot be easily transferred for rural areas.. The project “NaMolaR” (german abbreviation for: Sustainable Mobility in Rural Areas)  is intended to develop a joint project idea with other European universities with precisely this research focus. The central core question here is:

"How can the modal split in rural areas, which is currently still very much characterised by private motorised transport, be made more sustainable?"

With NaMolaR we want to develop an EU-wide method but also further develop and evaluate already existing mobility services in order to reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector of rural areas as far as possible. In this context, we want to cooperate with universities from the EU area. In connection with the European Green Deal, a matching call will be identified and a research proposal will be prepared and submitted.

[1] "Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable - to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (Hardtke/Prehn 2001, p.58)