Redesigning our cities for greener traffic, renewable energy or improved energy efficiency is undoubtedly an important climate mitigation investment — but such changes are often cost-intensive and may be less inefficient than other alternatives. The “Mobility Urban Values Game” (MUV) takes a different approach: changing citizens’ habits through a gamified mobile phone application that mixes digital and physical experiences, and promotes a shift towards more sustainable and healthy mobility choices.

 

From behavioural change to policy change

The mobile app tracks users’ daily routes and assigns points for sustainable behaviours across 31 indicators, encouraging them to participate in city-wide challenges. During the testing phase in Palermo, Italy, the first 2000 users reduced their carbon footprint by an average of 54%. The data gathered via the app and sensing stations around town will be used to allow policymakers to enhance planning processes and let civic hackers build new services. With this user-centred approach, city planning follows citizens’ habits, not the other way around.

 

MUVing Europe

MUV is the result of a collaboration between the municipality of Palermo and the social innovation lab PUSH, and both partners coordinate local activities such as co-creation workshops and design sessions with citizens and stakeholders. After receiving ‘Horizon 2020’ European research and innovation funding, five more pilot projects have been established — in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Fundao, Ghent and Helsinki. Together, these will provide mobility data and insights from diverse areas of the EU.