Nudging towards climate-friendlier commuting
In CLIMATE NUDGE we want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nudging people to commute by walking or cycling. In Finland, traffic is the source of ca 20% of these emissions. Car traffic also causes other pollution and noise, which adversely affect health and well-being. On the other hand, walking and cycling enhance physical activity, and that has a positive effect on physical and mental health.
Nudges that promote walking and cycling are planned and implemented in cooperation with stakeholders, for example communities and municipalities. In this way we can create sustainable and feasible nudges that actually have an effect on people’s behavior. The cooperation also creates an important channel for feedback.
What happens when the parking lot shrinks?
Our partners are for example the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Turku and Kuopio and the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority HSL. The aim is to reduce the use of private cars in commuting by nudging.
We also study three specific cases where a significant number of public-sector employees are moving into new workplaces, where the amount of parking space is heavily reduced. We want to find out what happens to commuting and what the employees think about the change.
How to promote children’s cycling in winter
Finnish school children are quite actively walking and cycling to school during fall and spring, but active travel rates drop in winter. While Finnish schoolchildren are amongst the most actively mobile in Europe, their active mobility has been steadily decreasing, reflecting a European trend. We will develop nudges that improve opportunities for winter cycling, such as improving bicycle parking facilities.
Our partners include the cities of Kuopio and Turku.
