Virtual conference Sustainable Nordic cities with focus on climate smart mobility

The virtual conference Sustainable Nordic cities with focus on climate smart mobility took place on the 3rd of February. The Conference was the final activity within the project Sustainable Nordic cities with focus on climate smart mobility launched during the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2018. 

Recording from the conference

Program 3 February

Are you working with transport, energy or urban planning in Nordic cities/regions or national authorities? Then we welcome you to attend our conference where you will receive answers as well as a possibility to discuss questions like:

  • How do we travel, and transport goods in a sustainable city?
  • Young people's views on mobility today?
  • Zero emission zones - how can they be designed?
  • Successful virtual meetings and efficient distance working - how to do it? 
  • How to plan Super Cycle Highways?
  • The role of Nordic public actors in the deployment of charging infrastructure? 
  • How do we make it easier to find a charging station?

Participate in presentations from the Nordic region that share good examples and lessons learned on climate-smart mobility and sustainable cities. We also give you the opportunity to influence the content of the conference. 

9:30 Log in and mingel with Nordic friends

10:00 Welcome and Check in

10:10 Benefits of Nordic Cooperation

Svend Søyland, Nordic Energy Research
Patrik Faming, Chairman of the Nordic Council of Ministers' working group for Sustainable cities.

10:30 Presentations based on project results

1. Charging infrastructure and zero emission vehicles
Anders Roth, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
Martina Wikström, Swedish Energy Agency

2. The role of urban and transport infrastructure planning
John Hultén, Nordic Road Association and K2- Swedish National Centre for research and education on public transport

3. Virtual meetings
Peter Arnfalk, Lund University
Birgitta Steingrimsdottir, Environment Agency of Iceland

11:10 BREAK

4. Mobility as a Service, MaaS
Laura Lassila, Traficom

5. Equality and Accessibility
Linda Gustafsson, Umeå municipality
Anna Wallsten, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute and Ylva Saarinen, Policy in Practice

12:15 Nordic lunch

13:00 Breakout sessions – Dive deeper and discuss projects, challenges, good examples on climate smart mobility, TBA

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1. NOBIL - A common Nordic database for public charging stations

Description and results of Subproject 5: Developing a Nordic database for public charging stations. What is the Nordic database Nobil? What development has been done and what does the future hold?  

Nils Andreas Thommesen, Enova
David Mowitz and Anders Lewald, Swedish Energy Agency

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2. Deployment of charging infrastructure – the role of Nordic local public actors

This session will explore the possibilities for local public actors to deploy off-street charging, discuss the conditions for facilitating on-street charging stations and the strategic pathways for Nordic local public actors.

Martina Wikström, Swedish Energy Agency

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3. Promoting zero-emission vehicles and sustainable mobility – strategy and good examples for Nordic cities

In this session we will discuss what instruments and tools Nordic cities can use to increase the share of zero-emission vehicles and at the same time having a focus on public transport, biking and walking. Instruments that are described and discussed are for example charging infrastructure, public procurement and parking policies. We will also give recommendations and examples of how zone and fee regulation ca be used, and we will discuss what help cities need from the national level. The session starts with a presentation of the report “Zero-emission vehicles and zones in Nordic cities” and then we will give room for reactions and questions.  

Anders Roth, IVL-Swedish Environmental Institute

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4. Behaviour and nudging in promoting sustainable transports

The session will explore by what means stakeholders in the public and private sectors use nudging as a tool to promote sustainable mobility behavior. The discussion will focus on sharing experiences, examples and outstanding questions regarding different nudging initiatives provided by the participants.  

Adam Mickiewicz, Swedish Energy Agency

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5. Exploring ways to engage young people in the transition of the transport system

In this session we explore different ways on how to engage young people. We discuss different methods, challenges and why it is so important to include perspectives from young people in transport planning.

Ylva Saarinen, Policy in Practice
Anna Wallsten, VTI

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6. Sustainable Insights - Measure, Inform, Mobilise: Achieving meaningful changes in city mobility

A collaboration of three technology companies and one municipality under the umbrella of Nordic Innovation has embarked on a project to connect cities with their citizens in order to achieve smarter and more sustainable mobility. Citizens are empowered and guided towards greener transport choices, while cities are provided with unique insights into citizens' mobility needs and the tools to influence and track mobility patterns.   

Rebecca Ronke, Applied autonomy

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7. Light electric freight vehicles as enablers for innovative sustainable urban last mile

Due to a rise in e-commerce and urbanization there is a rapid increase in last mile deliveries in the Nordic countries and internationally. This pace may increase due to the Corona crisis where many choose to shop on-line in order to avoid crowds. In this session we discuss the possibilities of light electric freight vehicles (LEFVs) and as an extension automatized delivery vehicles in last-mile deliveries as an answer to some of these challenges. In this interactive session, we will also discuss the role of cities and regions in this development. The session is based on the project: iSmile - Innovative sustainable urban last mile - small vehicles and business models, funded by Nordic Innovation.  

Anna Aminoff, Hanken
Niklas Arvidsson, VTI

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8. Reshaping Mobility – Roaming of mobility services and MaaS

There will be no sustainable cities without a sustainable and user adapted mobility – smart mobility. Emission-free fuels will make the cities 80 % cleaner – the last 20 % comes from smartness and data. We will discuss questions on smartness like:

- Is it realistic that MaaS will take effect and help meet the objectives of reduced carbon emissions and reduced private-car traffic?

- How will the city/authorities organize MaaS? Will they be willing to subsidize e.g. taxi, micro-mobility to participate together will public transport in a MaaS?

- What barriers do we see to implement MaaS in different sized cities?

- Is electrification and emission free zones more important than pu?

- When and how do we achieve critical mass for MaaS – before we can encourage using of alternatives to car ownership?

Trond Hovland, ITS-Norway

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9. Strategic bicycle plan in Greater Copenhagen – the potential to become the world’s best cycling metropolis

The session will start with an introduction on sustainable urban planning and prioritising cycling followed by a presentation of Greater Copenhagen Strategiske Cykelhandlingsplan.  

Janet van der Meulen, Swedish Transport Administration
Signe Helledi, Sekretariatet for supercykelstier

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10. How do we attract people (back) to Public Transport after the Pandemic?

Public transport, and bikes are the future modes of transport for our Nordic cities in a sustainable future. How can the image of public transport be changed, form a contagious-place-to-be to an attractive choice, after the pandemic? Which actors need to take action here and what actions are needed? And how could we cooperate? This is an interactive session where your input and ideas are welcome. Taget groups: public transport providers, municipalities, regions, researchers, think tanks and politicians on all levels and others with interest in the issue.  

Karin Bagge, Storsthlm
Jesper Sandell, Stockholm Region

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11. How do we work with sustainable mobility on a district level?

The increased traffic in cities is as we know unsustainable. Often, we try to solve that by large-scale measures, or not even solving it by building barriers between the traffic and the surroundings. Sometimes we try to hide the traffic in underground tunnels. However, we need to do more at the source. How do we reduce the use of cars on a local level? Can placemaking (i.e. improving local services) and improved conditions for biking and walking etc help us do that?

Susanna Elfors, Sustopia

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12. EVolution Road – an electric road project for any street or road

EVolution Road is an electric road project commissioned by the Swedish Transport Administration – focusing on technology from Elonroad. We are building and testing a dynamic charging infrastructure that is highly suitable for green cities - and changes the way we can think about electrification.  

Per Löfberg, Innovation Skåne

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13. Smart City Sweden – international cooperation to solve climate challenges in cities

Smart City Sweden is a visit platform that can help your city or country become smarter and more sustainable. We offer expert knowledge and arrange tailored visits and meetings within the area that you are interested in. In this session, you will learn more about what Smart City Sweden can offer you and you have the chance to ask questions about the platform. Get inspired by how different Swedish cities have solved climate challenges and learn how we can help you take the next step in your city.  

Rebecca Larsson, IVL-Swedish Environmental Institute

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14. How can we think smart and transport goods in sustainable city?

In 2045, Sweden will be climate neutral. This means that Sweden’s transport systen will be fossil-free in 25 years. Increasing demands will be placed on price, transport times, reliability, safety, road safety and the environment. How should small and medium-sized enterprises work together with society for the benefit of climate? How can we use new smart innovative solutions to get sustainable cities and regions? Is it possible to export smart mobility solutions?  

Daniel Mäkinen, Monark Exercise
Ann-Louise Larsson, Smart City Sweden, nod middle

13:30 Panel – Pioneering Nordic cities in climate smart mobility

Einar Aassved Hansen, Trondheim Municipality
Guðmundur Haukur Sigurðarson, Vistorka Akureyri
Maria Strömberg, Business Region Göteborg
Morten Skou Nicolaisen, Aarhus Municipality
Stella Aaltonen, City of Turku

14:10 Inspirational lecture: A historic Outlook on Nordic Cooperation

Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, Department of History and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University

14:30 Summary and end of Plenary Session

14:40 Break

14:50 Matchmaking – continue discussing the conference content and the way forward

15:30 End of Conference