Regional aspects of a transformation towards fossil free transportation
Which policy instruments are needed for Swedish households to switch to fossil-free transports and how does regional differences affect the policies effectiveness? This will researchers in Economics at Luleå University of Technology study in a three-year project funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
– Various policy instruments will be needed in order to reach the Swedish goal of a vehicle fleet independent of fossil fuels by 2030. If these policy instruments are not adapted to different regional aspects, they can become unnecessarily costly, both for the society at large and for individuals, says Linda Wårell, Associate Professor in Economics at Luleå University of Technology, adding:
– It is likely not economically efficient with policy instruments that, for example, encourages everyone to switch to electric cars, since the costs for introducing electric cars over the country differs, due to geographical and demographic differences.
Regional conditions affect attitude and choice
In the project, researchers from Luleå University of Technology will study five geographically dispersed Swedish municipalities of varying size to find out if regional conditions affect individuals' attitudes to and costs for choosing fossil-free transport alternatives. The researchers argue that there may be major differences depending on whether you live in a big city or in the countryside.
– An example is when higher taxation on fuel is being discussed. The regional differences become noticeable and tensions arise. In areas where there are no transport alternatives, the car is important. We will study what consequences different actions would have for people in different parts of the country, says Kristina Ek, Associate Professor in Economics at Luleå University of Technology.
