Mistra SAMS Kitchen Talks: There is a need for visions of the better life with less and slower 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 measures that reduce and slow down mobility. Such policy instruments lack policy legitimacy in the population. However, there are 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.