Citizens’ perspectives on sustainable mobility transitions in a semi-urban context: tensions between everyday practices and sustainability advancements

Abstract

In Sweden, the transport sector contributes to about one-third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Despite political commitments, it has proved challenging to achieve climate and sustainability targets due to path dependencies and political contestation. In the literature, one proposed way forward is to incorporate citizens’ perspectives and knowledge into policy and planning, and to work with place-based approaches for decarbonisation. Nevertheless, there is a lack of understanding about citizens’ perceived roles, responsibilities, and preferred involvement in sustainability transitions, not least in contexts beyond inner city environments. Based on five focus groups conducted in a semi-urban area outside Stockholm, Sweden, this study explores how citizens envision and relate to sustainable mobility in their local context, what measures they propose and how they perceive their role in a sustainable transition. Based on the findings, the study suggests that the design of future sustainable transport policies must be informed by the complex and often conflictual relationship between greater sustainability, and people’s current everyday lives as configured around meaningful practices. As illuminated in the studied semi-urban context, many established everyday practices are car-dependent. The study argues that increased citizen participation holds an under-explored potential to advance sustainability, although this demands political leadership, well-defined objectives, and developed processes, where consideration is given to practices of everyday life.