Ann Das, Dr. Furqan Bhat, Prof. (Dr.) Ashish Verma
In the context of global mobility, sustainability becomes the need of the hour and it is essential for India to look beyond its borders and learn how global best practices can be adapted in mobility.
The World Symposium on Sustainable Transport and Livability (WSSTL) stands as a global platform for this knowledge exchange and practices at the intersection of mobility and urban quality of life. As a transformative biennial event starting from India, WSSTL-2025 is jointly organized by the Special Interest Group F4 (SIG-F4) of the World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS) and the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. This interdisciplinary symposium brings together leading experts, policymakers, urban planners, researchers, industry professionals, and community voices to address urgent challenges and explore innovative solutions in sustainable transport and livability. The inaugural edition, WSSTL-2025, will take place from June 25 to 27, 2025, at the J. N. Tata Auditorium, IISc Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
As part of its commitment to global knowledge exchange, WSSTL-2025 will feature an esteemed line-up of keynote and invited speakers from across the world, bringing diverse perspectives on the intersection of transport and livability. Among them is Prof. Guenter Emberger from the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien), a keynote speaker for symposium renowned for his work in transport planning, economics, safety, and emission control. Prof. Maria Attard, a prominent voice in urban mobility and citizen engagement, serves as the Head of Geography and Director of the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the University of Malta.
Also joining is Prof. Ahmed El-Geneidy from McGill University, Canada, an internationally recognized expert in transport planning, currently serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Transport Reviews and Editor of Transportation. Their insights are set to shape critical discussions at the symposium, fostering a deeper understanding of how transport systems can drive sustainable, inclusive, and livable cities.
As part of the pre-symposium engagements, WSSTL-2025 has hosted a series of insightful podcasts featuring conversations with Prof. Emberger and Prof. Attard. These discussions delve into global best practices and explore how India can adapt lessons from international contexts to shape its sustainable mobility future.
Vienna, often recognized as a global model for sustainable urban mobility, served as a fitting backdrop for the conversation on sustainable transport and livability with Prof. Guenter Emberger. He emphasized that Vienna’s success was not rooted merely in policy declarations, but in how sustainability had been seamlessly integrated into the everyday lives of its citizens. Prof. Emberger highlighted how an integrated, accessible, and affordable public transport network had long formed the backbone of the city’s mobility system, shaping everyday mode choices.
“Nearly 95% of Vienna’s population lives within 300 meters of a public transport stop, with peak-time frequencies as low as three to five minutes. This ease of access and affordability less than one euro per day for unlimited travel makes public transport the natural choice for daily commuting, dramatically reducing reliance on private vehicles,” explained Prof. Emberger.
Prof. Guenter Emberger from TU Wien shares insights on Vienna’s integrated mobility system and livability during the WSSTL-2025 podcast series, hosted by the IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab.
He underscored this by shedding light on Vienna’s long-term commitment to its public transport system particularly its tramway and subway networks. Despite global trends toward car dominance after World War II, Vienna fortified its sustainable mobility framework. Historical foresight, such as preserving tram networks and early pedestrianization of city centers, positioned the city as a pioneer in sustainable transport decades before it became a global priority.
Prof. Emberger added that the success of public transport was intrinsically linked to active mobility reinforcing the importance of first-mile and last-mile connectivity, he said that Public transport systems thrived when walking and cycling were made safe, attractive, and integral to daily travel. He also highlighted the role of infrastructure and legislation in promoting sustainable behavior, noting that beyond infrastructure, behavioral nudges through supportive laws had proven instrumental. Vienna, he explained, had long focused on creating walkable, cyclist-friendly environments, backed by legal frameworks that favored pedestrians and cyclists. “Laws must actively foster walking and cycling. At zebra crossings, the right of pedestrians must be enforced to encourage walking as a primary mode.” Infrastructure alone, without supportive policy, would only yield partial results.
What is further underscored was the importance of systematically tracking modal split after every policy intervention. “It is essential to continuously monitor how each measure affect the share of walking, cycling, public transport, and private vehicle.”
Issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, and public health crises including the growing obesity epidemic, are deeply intertwined with transport planning. “A city’s transportation system could help solve many of its future health challenges. Promoting walking, cycling, and public transport was critical keyo making cities livable and resilient,” he said. The y takeaway from Vienna’s experience has been patience & commitment “You cannot change a city’s transport system in three to five years. According to him it requires a long-term strategy, consistent investment in pedestrian and cycle-friendly infrastructure, supportive laws, and public engagement.
Prof. Maria Attard, another keynote speakers at WSSTL-2025, offered a compelling vision of how walking, cycling, and citizen engagement could reshape the cities of tomorrow. Speaking as part of the WSSTL-2025 podcast series, she also emphasized active mobility walking and cycling as key pillars of urban sustainability.
“Walking and cycling are the fastest ways to decarbonize urban transport,” she stated. “Electrification alone will not meet Paris Agreement goals. Investment in active travel is critical.” She noted that active mobility improved not just environmental outcomes, but also public health, urban vibrancy, and social equity. As cities expanded, integrating walkability and cycling infrastructure into urban design became increasingly important.
Prof. Attard linked the discussion of active travel to the broader concept of livability, framing it as central to the future of urban environments. Livability must drive all aspects of urban planning. “Whether it is land use or transport infrastructure, the goal should be to reduce urban stressors and enable healthier living.” The emerging concepts like the “15-minute city,” where daily services were accessible by foot or bicycle within 15 minutes are global models to enhance livability. “But walkability is critical,” she added. “It’s the level of walkability, how pleasant, safe, and vibrant the walking environment is, which truly empowers people to choose active modes.” While many leading examples of active mobility came from European cities like Paris, Prof. Attard also highlighted promising efforts in the Global South. She cited Bogotá’s post-COVID expansion of dedicated bicycle lanes as a powerful example of how resource-constrained cities could prioritize active travel.
Prof. Maria Attard shares her insights on active mobility, livability, and citizen engagement during the WSSTL-2025 podcast series hosted by IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab.
However, she acknowledged the significant challenges many developing cities continued to face. A lack of safe infrastructure, such as well-lit, separated pathways, made walking and cycling unsafe especially for women and vulnerable populations. Addressing these infrastructure gaps, ensuring personal safety, and connecting active mobility networks, she argued, were essential for promoting equitable and sustainable transport.
Additionally, Prof. Attard stressed the critical role of citizen engagement in transport planning. She pointed out that traditional metrics of walkability, like infrastructure often ignored the lived experiences of people. “Infrastructure alone is not enough. We engaged citizens directly, asking them to photograph their walking environments and describe how safe, vibrant, or pleasant they felt,” she explained. This citizen-science approach revealed that factors such as greenery, shade, pavement quality, and perceived safety played critical roles in encouraging walking often going far beyond what conventional technical standards could capture.
Promoting active mobility must also prioritize equity. Prf. Attard stressed the importance of children’s independent mobility as a core indicator of a livable city. “We are pushing the children’s age of independent walking much later, which has consequences on their social development and their confidence to navigate public space. Reclaiming cities for children and citizens required a holistic approach, combining infrastructure, safety, accessibility, and emotional well-being.
At the end of it all, there was a shared emphasis on the need for collaboration bringing together citizens, researchers, and policymakers to build cities that were not only sustainable on paper but truly livable in practice. These insights from the WSSTL-2025 conversations offered a compelling roadmap for creating healthier, happier, and more resilient urban environments a path that Indian cities must actively structure and pursue.
This article is published as part of the pre-symposium coverage for WSSTL-2025.
For more details and updates, visit the official symposium website at (https://wsstl2025.iisc.ac.in/)