Urban areas are not only population centres, but also emission hotspots, with a substantial amount of air pollution originating from traffic. The choices we make about how we get around in a city influence both emissions and our exposure to the emitted pollutants. How can we reduce our exposure to air pollution? What policy options will be the most effective in reducing emissions? What synergies can we take advantage of to reduce air pollution and protect human health, while also minimising greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change? In a transdisciplinary approach that links scientific knowledge to the policy and social dimensions of the problem, the group conducts research in support of transformations towards more integrated policymaking on climate change mitigation and air quality.
The project's research activities focus on a range of issues relating to air quality in urban areas and explore the connections between air pollution, climate change, and mobility. The researchers also seek to foster greater awareness of these issues by establishing dialogues among policymakers, civil society actors and the scientific community, and by organising various activities, including exhibitions and citizen-science initiatives.
The research team uses innovative methods to measure emissions and the factors that influence exposure, as well as methods for quantifying the effectiveness of mobility policy options. Furthermore, through interdisciplinary collaboration, it examines public perceptions of air pollution and considers how these perceptions shape action on air quality at the individual level. These insights will enable researchers to gauge the feasibility of specific sustainable urban-planning measures to reduce emissions of air pollutants.