Table 4 Practitioners’ and stakeholders’ recommendations from the practice–science dialogue

Policy must offer visions: What does future climate-compatible mobility in rural and urban areas look like?

For a successful transformation of transport with broad active support from society, we need above all a vision of what climate-friendly and sustainable transport will look like in 2030—in the city and in rural areas. Without visions, there can be no "I am in favour of it." Policymakers must drive the development of such visions and communicate them widely. They are the basis on which the transformation of transportation can be not only managed, but collectively shaped. In communicating these visions, openness about conflicting goals is needed; in implementing them, the courage is needed to take measures that are sensibly coordinated with one another, even if the final certainty that this is the perfect mix of measures is lacking. Now is a good time to put together packages of measures based on visions of sustainable mobility for cities and rural areas and to start implementing them in the short term. At the moment, there is an opportunity for people to look at traffic with a different lens. The Fridays for Future movement, with its demand for climate justice, as well as the defensive position in which the automotive industry—and the politics closely linked to it—find themselves as a result of the diesel scandal and the on-going fight against air pollution, are contributing to this opportunity

Creating a socially just mobility transition

The mobility transition must always be viewed from the perspective of a socially just mobility transition. Measures that "hit the wallet" are certainly considered promising. However, the decision-making bodies find themselves in a field of tension: while conflicts of interest must be balanced out in broadly conducted debates, these debates must not bring the decision-making process to a standstill. One possible measure to partially remedy this situation is to increase the transparency of the policymaking process in such a way that all actors are informed to the same extent and no information asymmetry arises between the various interest groups. For example, the planned use of the funds collected or the different design options for a pricing instrument should be clearly communicated. The use of pricing instruments requires the courage to engage in controversial debates and the ability to compromise, but must not disregard disadvantaged groups. Here, it helps to look beyond pricing instruments and consider other, restrictive measures that primarily affect the comfort of the car and less on the drivers' wallets. For example, an artificial parking shortage can lead to a significant reduction in the use of private cars and at the same time enhance public space, which in turn serves all population groups. If individual population groups are particularly strained financially by pricing instruments, it must be examined how social cushioning can be created here

Creating suitable framework conditions through trial and error

How we are mobile depends primarily on the existing infrastructure. Our environment is primarily characterized by MPT. Since infrastructure projects are usually cumbersome, lengthy and cost-intensive, it often makes sense to first test the effects of such measures scientifically and on site. For example, real-lab settings are suitable for this, especially when it comes to the redistribution of road space in favour of active mobility. Cycling and walking should generally be given more attention in the course of the mobility transition; unbureaucratic test sites can make a valuable contribution here on the way to a major reform of road traffic regulations. Federal policy must create a legal framework that gives municipalities the necessary leeway to reallocate urban areas to the detriment of MPT. The current road traffic regulations are primarily designed to ensure the safety and ease of car traffic. The deconstruction of car lanes and parking areas and the redesign of public spaces should take place in a participatory manner with the involvement of citizens and various stakeholder groups. In the promotion of active mobility, infrastructural measures must be supported by communicative measures, especially those that are linked to the testing of climate-friendly modes of transport or mobility spaces and can trigger "wow" effects. Opportunities for municipalities to try out different measures in an uncomplicated manner in terms of time and space thus also consider the specific nature of cities and our social spaces in general. In mobility, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions; experimental spaces make it possible to find the right solutions for the respective space

Promotion of electric cars must be embedded in the transportation transition

Switching passenger car propulsion from internal combustion to electric is one of the fastest ways to achieve climate targets. Therefore, measures for a stronger distribution of electric cars are necessary. At the same time, the so-called “drive turnaround” must be embedded in an overarching transport and mobility transition concept. This means that traffic must not only be improved, but also shifted to climate-friendly means of transport and avoided by shortening distances through sensible allocation of urban functions. To promote the spread of electric cars, manufacturer quotas for electric cars and other registration quotas (such as limits for combustion vehicles or weight limits for passenger cars) are preferable to purchase premiums. The latter have not proven to be effective levers in the past. Furthermore, there is a need for more choice in electric cars, uniform pricing models for charging stations so that charging costs become predictable, and information campaigns that dispel the myth of the range problem. If the electric car product makes cognitive and experiential sense to people, it will become (more) attractive even without a premium. The booming market for electric bicycles points to this