AMBER – Active mobility to promote health and environmental protection
The climate targets cannot be achieved without a mobility transition. The fact that this also opens up valuable opportunities for health and well-being is rarely the focus of the debate. In the AMBER research project, we are focusing on synergies between active mobility, health, and climate protection. With this in mind, we are addressing the following Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (SDGs):
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Active mobility
Active mobility includes all forms of movement using your own muscle power – whether on foot, in a wheelchair, on a bicycle, e-bike, scooter or skateboard. People who travel by public transport also get in motion – when changing trains or on the way to the bus stop.
In 2017, more than one in two journeys (57 %) in Germany were made by private motorized transport, primarily by car. This type of mobility has negative consequences for human health, the environment, and the climate. Increasing the proportion of active mobility, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to better health on many levels through physical activity, fewer air pollutants, less traffic noise, greater transport safety and more space for recreational green areas.
Actors of change
The AMBER team is investigating current and future connections between health and climate change in the context of active mobility in order to identify paths to a healthy mobility transition. The research team is looking at active mobility on an individual, organizational, societal and environmental level. Politics, city administration, companies, civil society organizations and citizens will be involved. The project team aims to work out which measures and behavioral changes these actors can best contribute to the mobility transition.
Citizen Science: “Explore your mobility”
The focus of the empirical research lies on two citizen science projects. Citizens from Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder) investigate their mobility behavior in two case studies. They are looking into how active mobility is associated with their own health, noise pollution and air quality on the roads and current weather: using a study app, participants can collect data during their daily trips. The participants also play an active role in shaping the research process in various project phases. The citizen science approach enables a mutual learning process about future transformation paths, civic participation and civil society engagement.
Interdisciplinary junior research group
The AMBER project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the program Junior Research Groups “Climate, Environment and Health”. Young scientists from the fields of health and environmental psychology, public health, meteorology, and sustainability management work together in this project. Part of the inter- and transdisciplinary research design also involves close cooperation with business and civil society practice partners as well as an international scientific advisory board. The insights gained are intended to bring together the perspectives of different stakeholders in order to identify key factors of active mobility and implement them sustainably.
Here you can find out more about our research questions and the funding program.
