How can we talk about the transport transition without people immediately tuning out? And how can complex information on mobility, transport and climate protection be presented in such a way that it becomes understandable, relevant to everyday life and accessible?
We addressed these questions in collaboration with the Öko-Institut as part of the ‘Communication for Sustainable Mobility’ project, which we carried out on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). After all, science-based information is important – but it often remains abstract or fails to reach people. How we get around in our daily lives also depends on many factors: habits, costs, convenience and commutes, as well as the availability of parking spaces, public transport, bicycles, car-sharing or e-bikes.
Together with the Öko-Institut, we have therefore designed a participatory development process involving change agents from the fields of science, communication and practice. This has resulted in three communication formats: Mobility Bingo, Mobility Clips and Mobility Quartet.
Mobility Bingo addresses typical everyday myths and objections – such as those concerning job tickets, company bikes, public transport or parking spaces – and contrasts them with short, easy-to-understand fact checks.
The ‘Car Confessions’ mobility clips talk about one’s own car as if it were a relationship that can be viewed for once without rose-tinted glasses. With humour and clear facts, they tackle costs, fuel, the hunt for a parking space and garage appointments – and the question of when buses, trains, bicycles, e-bikes or car-sharing might be a suitable alternative.
The ‘Mobility Quartet’ makes facts about the transport transition playfully accessible. Cards on work-related mobility, taxes and charges, as well as public transport and infrastructure, are rated according to categories such as cost-effectiveness, climate benefits, stress-free travel, comfort, flexibility and future-proofing. The star ratings are not a definitive judgement, but rather a starting point for discussion.
All three formats translate facts into accessible, visual and narrative approaches. They are designed to support local authorities, organisations and opinion leaders in bringing mobility issues into their networks, sparking discussions and opening up new perspectives on everyday mobility.
October 2026
Image: AI-generated / public domain
