How does the urban climate affect mobility?

"There's no such thing as the wrong weather, only the wrong clothes" – who hasn't heard this saying? The fact is, however, that the weather can influence which mode of transportation people choose in cities. Getting out and about in the fresh air is fun – but it means being exposed to sun, rain, wind, and temperatures. And with climate change, weather extremes such as heavy rain and hot days are on the rise [1,2].

 

“Shady trees along cycle paths and footpaths, public drinking fountains or even covered bus stops: There is room for maneuver to make active mobility pleasant despite climate change. But cities need to know what weather conditions to expect in the future and what this means for people's mobility.”

Siiri Tunn,

Urban climatologist at the FU Berlin


Status quo: What weather is popular for cycling?

Many studies already show that the weather can have an influence on mobility. At higher temperatures, people usually spend more time outside and cycle more. However, very high temperatures above 30 °C lead to less outdoor activity. Rainfall also changes mobility behavior: Cycling is uncomfortable in the rain and can even be dangerous in the snow. In cities, people often switch from bikes to cars or public transport when it rains [3-6]. Less research has been done on how high wind speeds affect active mobility. The existing studies show a decrease in bike traffic at high wind speeds [5]. According to current research, temperatures around 18 °C without rain, snow, and high wind speeds are considered the most favorable conditions for active mobility [3].

As local weather, climate zones, cultures, people, and infrastructures vary greatly around the world, it is important to conduct regional studies to understand the situation on the ground and subsequently improve it. Currently, most studies call for the personal perception of the weather to be researched as well [3-6]: It is not only the objectively measured temperature that is relevant, but presumably also the subjective perception of the weather. For example, does unfavorable weather affect the mobility of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children [7]? Citizen science studies can help to close these research gaps.

Researching active mobility during climate change

Cities are particularly sensitive to the consequences of climate change because many people live in a confined space and there are fewer green areas that have a cooling effect and absorb rainwater, partly due to sealed surfaces such as roads. Current models predict, for example, that the number of hot days in Berlin will increase from around 10 to over 30 by 2100 [8].

How these developments will affect mobility has not yet been sufficiently researched. The AMBER team wants to contribute to a better understanding: We are investigating the influence of urban climatic conditions (temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind) on mobility. To this end, we are supplementing existing data and studies with our own modeling – and above all with two Citzien Science studies in Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder): Participants will use an app to document how they experience and adapt their mobility depending on the weather.



Our research questions:

  • What influence do the current urban climate conditions in Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder) have on walking, cycling and the use of public transportation and cars?
  • What influence does the subjective perception of the weather have?
  • By how many minutes is our physical activity reduced when we are no longer active due to unfavorable weather?


Cited literature

1. Böcker, L., Dijst, M., and Prillwitz, J. (2013). Impact of Everyday Weather on Individual Daily Travel Behaviours in Perspective: A Literature Review. Transport Reviews, 33(1):71–91.
2. Bernard, P., Chevance, G., Kingsbury, C., Baillot, A., Romain, A.-J., Molinier, V., Gadais, T., and Dancause, K. N. (2021). Climate Change, Physical Activity and Sport: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine, 51(5):1041–1059.3.
3. Turrisi, T. B., Bittel, K. M., West, A. B., Hojjatinia, S., Hojjatinia, S., Mama, S. K., Lagoa, C. M., and Conroy, D. E. (2021). Seasons, weather, and device-measured movement behaviors: a scoping review from 2006 to 2020. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1):24.
4. Timm, I., Reichert, M., Ebner-Priemer, U. W., and Giurgiu, M. (2023). Momentary within-subject associations of affective states and physical behavior are moderated by weather conditions in real life: an ambulatory assessment study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 20(1):117.
5. Galich, A. and Nieland, S. (2023). The Impact of Weather Conditions on Mode Choice in Different Spatial Areas. Future Transportation, 3(3):1007–1028.
6. Ferguson, T., Curtis, R., Fraysse, F., Olds, T., Dumuid, D., Brown, W., Esterman, A., and Maher, C. (2023). Weather associations with physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep patterns of Australian adults: a longitudinal study with implications for climate change. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 20(1):30.
7. Liu, C., Susilo, Y. O., and Karlström, A. (2017). Weather variability and travel behaviour – what we know and what we do not know. Transport Reviews, 37(6):715–741.
8. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung und Umwelt (2016). Ergänzung des aktualisierten Grunddatenbestandes Stadtklima um Kennwerte zum Klimawandel.