A new series, called Environmental Economics (or e² transport), launched online showcases innovators and pioneers who envision a better quality of life: socially, culturally, economically and ecologically.
The first episode will look at London’s mission to transform itself into a transit-efficient and pedestrian-friendly megacity. The introduction of the Congestion Charge challenges the 20th century notion that cities are designed around cars, with drivers required to pay for access to public roads and parking spaces.
The six-part series investigates different approaches to solving transport issues, focusing less on the area of design and fuel alternatives and more on the larger context of human behaviour and urbanisation. Other episodes are set to explore Paris’s ambitious push bike initiative and a local café owner in Philadelphia whose grand plan is to cultivate a sustainable local food economy by serving only local produce.
The series also looks at attainable solutions to pressing environmental and social challenges; its stories are drawn from a variety of fields including design, energy, transport, water, food and urban development.
According to the program description on ABC, the biggest culprit in terms of transport sustainability is the car. At the same time, we have entered an age in which people and goods are travelling further and more frequently than ever before. A truly global marketplace requires a globally-minded citizenry to address this environmental problem.
The first episode of the series, The Price of Traffic, is currently available to be watched on SMH.tv here, as will subsequent episodes.