On the panel Smart mobility and the future of cities, carried out by INOVACITY Digital, experts indicated the importance of rethinking mobility to build a sustainable future for cities
The panel, which discussed urbanism, mobility of tomorrow, citizenship and sustainable development of cities, was attended by Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS; Victor Andrade, professor at FAU/UFRJ and general coordinator of LABMOB; Clarisse Linke, ITDP; and Henrique Silveira, Casa Fluminense (Moderator).
Experts believe that, after the COVID-19 pandemic, smart cities will be those that come up with creative solutions. “Everything we thought we knew about social inequalities in Brazil became even more evident during the pandemic, and it shook us up. The issue of sanitation became more explicit, as did substandard housing, and even public transportation, which should be of quality and accessible, is not. It does not serve the low-income population on long commutes and does not meet current health requirements due to overcrowding,” said Marina Grossi, president of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS).
The transition to compact, connected and clean cities can create national capacity to create and absorb innovations that will be critical for economic competitiveness in the future. Innovation in all its forms can have a huge real-world impact.
China, for example, has supported its municipal governments in experimenting with electric vehicles. and charging infrastructure with impressive results: in 2017 China was home to 40% of the world’s electric passenger cars and more than 99% of the world’s electric buses.
Active mobility = Better quality of life = Lower healthcare costs
It is necessary to think about the consequences of mobility for health. “We need to think about mobility policy as a health policy as well,” says Victor Andrade, professor at FAU/UFRJ and general coordinator of LABMOB.
The event emphasized that one of the ways to improve people's quality of life is to improve mobility and encourage active mobility in cities.
When thinking about the future of cities, the few vehicles on the streets could be electric, silent and pollution-free. With much cleaner air in cities, asthma, allergies and other respiratory diseases would be much less common.
Technology has the power to support this entire circular structure and transform the way we think about cities. 4-5G networks make it possible to make them smart, promoting urban connectivity, sustainability and efficiency, as well as creating new jobs and new industries and generating economic benefits.
For Clarice Linke, executive director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), cities need to think about active mobility. “It is a cheap and easy-to-implement mode of transport, and several Latin American countries are accelerating plans to build bike lanes and provide benefits for the use of bicycles. These are quick solutions that large cities are using to avoid a greater migration to private cars while they still do not feel safe enough to resume the use of public transport.”
“Innovation will be greatly driven by climate issues and emissions reduction,” says Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, who also recalls the importance of the private sector in leading changes.
Business contribution
Neoenergia
Neoenergia is investing in electric mobility and new technologies to ensure a total reduction in pollutant gas emissions and fueling costs, compared to diesel vehicles. With an eye on the future, the company is investing in decarbonization initiatives, a strategic premise for the company, and growth in renewable energy generation, especially wind power.
The new feature for this year is the use of its own fleet of electric vehicles, as a way to serve as a model in a scenario that is already changing. In addition, Neoenergia will have electric chargers in all of the company's regional and administrative bases, distributed throughout the states of SP, RJ, BA, PE and RN.
Ambev Brewery
Cervejaria Ambev begins the process of electrifying its truck fleet by announcing a partnership with Volkswagen, which will supply 1,600 models powered by clean energy by 2023.
With the deliveries, 35% of the brewery's fleet will be fossil fuel-free vehicles, which will mean that the company will stop emitting 30.4 thousand tons of carbon throughout its logistics chain per year.
