Research grant for greener mobility research with Germany
Associate Professor Ralph Chapman has been awarded $100,000 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to research sustainable mobility.
Associate Professor Ralph Chapman has been awarded $100,000 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to research sustainable mobility.
Dr Chapman, Graduate Programme Director for Environmental Studies in the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, will collaborate with scientists in Berlin, Germany to develop a better understanding of sustainable mobility.
“Sustainable mobility looks at our transport systems and how we can enable movement with minimal environmental impact. It is critical for transitioning New Zealand to a zero carbon economy,” says Dr Chapman.
Working alongside the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Dr Chapman and a postdoctoral researcher Nadine Dodge will look at policy choice, process and effectiveness, including opportunities for synergy between sustainable mobility, climate change mitigation, health, and well-being.
“We aim to find out what policies work best in Europe to support mobility and access while cutting emissions. For example, how do policies support digital technologies which can help avoid trips or enable more efficient vehicle use, like car sharing—and other strategies to cut emissions. We want to find out why and how such policies work well.”
Dr Chapman is also a member of the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities, with his primary research focus being on resilient urban futures, looking at climate change, housing, transport, energy and environmental policy.
The grant comes from MBIE’s International Relationships Fund which supports activities that foster international scientific contacts and research collaboration of particular benefit to New Zealand.