Driving sustainable change: a systematic map of behaviorally informed interventions to promote sustainable mobility behavior

Abstract

Recent reports have highlighted the importance of changing human behavior if climate change is to be mitigated. In this respect, behaviorally informed interventions are considered promising tools. In particular, these interventions could be applied in the transport sector, where the mitigation potential is high. However, a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence on behaviorally informed interventions in this field is lacking, although such syntheses are extremely useful for researchers, policymakers, and funding bodies alike. This study addresses this gap by presenting a systematic map of behaviorally informed interventions that target sustainable mobility decisions. An extensive review of more than 30,000 articles revealed a substantial corpus of 204 relevant studies. While studies on usage behavior (e.g. fuel-efficient driving) and studies addressing the private context are most prevalent, the synthesis highlights that existing studies investigated a remarkably diverse set of heterogeneous mobility decisions. Additionally, studies addressing the professional context or positioned at the intersection of the private and professional sphere were identified, highlighting the potential for behavior change interventions in multiple contexts. This study provides a foundational resource for understanding the scope of existing research and uncovering underexplored areas with high mitigation potential. The findings not only inform future academic research but also guide policymakers and practitioners in designing effective, behaviorally informed strategies to reduce transportation’s environmental impact.