Ports as Urban Transition Actors Towards Zero-Emission Transport

Abstract

The transition to sustainable mobility and zero emission transport requires clear visions and engagement from actors with agency to influence and drive transition processes. Ports can be such actors, contributing to the development and diffusion of innovative zero emission and low carbon solutions in transport both on land and at sea. It is however still not clear how ports should act to reach such goals, and sustainability practices of ports are still largely understudied. This paper discusses how to strengthen energy and sustainability transitions and the capability of ports to engage in such transitions through co-creation of transition agendas, visions and role development. The paper demonstrates how ports themselves, if acting as urban community managers may drive transitions in zero-emission transport and how sustainability transitions as a result can become both wider and deeper, which is needed for the Net Zero transition to happen. The paper builds on studies of three Norwegian ports, transition management exercises in these ports and interviews with port actors in Norway.