[MUSIC] Hello, this is Kes McCormick, and today we'll talk about how we can plan structural transformations and how urban infrastructure can play a part in greening the economy. Urban infrastructure is the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a city or urban area, as well as the services and facilities necessary for society and the economy to function. This can include infrastructure for water, waste, shelter, energy, telecommunications and mobility like streets, buildings, sewers, parks and energy systems. Importantly, urban infrastructure can advance sustainability and green economies, or it can lock in unsustainable systems and prevent sustainable urban transformation. To learn more about infrastructure and planning, we will focus on urban mobility. Clearly, there are problems with transportation infrastructure in many cities, related to congestion, accidents, local air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. At the city level there is the ability to plan, change, and improve infrastructure for mobility. For example, rules and planning that deter less sustainable mobility options, like areas that are closed to cars, or congestion charges to discourage the use of cars. Urban planning can also encourage more sustainable options, like electric cars, convenient public transport options, and biking infrastructure. In 2013, there were over 5,000 electric vehicles in the urban area of Oslo, in Norway. Electric vehicles in Norway are powered by hydroelectricity resulting in low emissions, improved air quality, and less noise. The city council hopes to grow the numbers of electric vehicles through innovative policy and additional infrastructure. For example, by continuing to add to the over 700 public and free charging stations already provided in the city. The city of Oslo leads by example in buying only zero emission electric vehicles for its municipal fleet. Electric vehicles are also encouraged through the city transport rules allowing them to use bus transit lines. As well as national level taxes on fossil fuels and road charges exemptions for electric vehicles. Of course, electric vehicles help with reducing emissions but congestion still remains a challenge. Greener city planning encourages people to act sustainably, without thinking about the environment. For example, most people bike in Copenhagen for the convenience, not the environment. In fact, the top two reasons are convenience and health, and the environment comes in at number three. Making biking as convenient as possible and giving it priority in planning, is what makes this possible. How can you tell when bicycling is a priority in planning? Let's have a look. You see lights changing for cyclers as they approach an intersection and places for them to stop. You see multiple lanes for different speeds. Waste bins designed for bikes, paths separated from car lanes, and direct routes via bike lanes making it faster to go by bike than by car. City councils can create these conditions and promote certain behaviors, but it still requires individuals and businesses to make decisions that help the city in these efforts. This is a long process. The city of Copenhagen has been implementing sustainable structural transformation for more than 50 years. In the past the city focussed on planning for increasing car traffic, but in the 1960s they decided to take cars out of their main streets. Since then, Copenhagen has made continuous changes, with less emphasis on cars, and more on people. All towards the goal of becoming the best city in the world for people by 2025. The planning choices make sense for the environment, it makes sense for the people living in the city, but it also makes sense from an economic perspective. The city found that the total cost of air pollution, accidents, traffic congestion, noise, and wear and tear on infrastructure resulted in a net social loss when traveling by car. By contrast, riding bikes resulted in significant health benefits and an overall net social gain. Through planning and targeted city policies, cycling rates in Copenhagen have continued to increase. In 2011, 37% of people commuted to work in the city every day by bike. In comparison with just 27% by car. The goal is to continue to increase the number of bike commuters. In fact, the issue the city must tackle now is congestion of bike lanes. Another move towards a more sustainable transportation system is to build and transform city infrastructure to promote public transport. This can include building new subway lines, as Copenhagen and Malmö have done, or expanding the existing network as Stockholm currently is doing. Although this requires major investments, and often several decades of planning and preparation. Once in place, they offer fast and convenient transport for millions of passengers annually. For instance, in the metropolitan area of Stockholm, with a population of about 2 million people, some 320 million subway trips are made annually. Buses offer another good alternative. In order to make bus trips more attractive, designated bus lanes can decrease bus travel times, and improve reliability of bus services. In order to make public transport a good and competitive alternative to the car, that can conveniently take you all the way from your front door to your intended destination. The connection between different sustainable transport modes needs to be as seamless as possible. An important challenge is therefore to build transport hubs where, for example, bus, train, and subway stations are located right next to each other. Preferably with access to convenient bicycle parking nearby. So as you can see, sustainable urban infrastructure is possible. We see many examples of urban mobility in Scandinavia, like electric vehicles, public transport, and infrastructure for bikes. But it demands smart and long-term planning. Political commitment and collaboration between local and national governments to make this structural transformation a reality. [MUSIC]
