Gender, Climate, and the Future of Sustainable Mobility Transitions

Mobility is a critical determinant of social inclusion, economic participation, and environmental sustainability. However, transport systems across the world have historically been designed using gender-neutral frameworks that overlook the differentiated travel needs and constraints faced by women and gender-diverse populations. These disparities are particularly pronounced in rapidly urbanizing regions of the Global South, where reliance on public and informal transport, safety concerns, care-related trip chaining, and climate vulnerability shape everyday mobility experiences. As cities transition toward low-carbon and climate-resilient transport systems, there is growing recognition that sustainable mobility initiatives must address existing gender inequalities to be effective and just. Integrating gender perspectives into transport planning and climate policy is therefore essential to ensure that future mobility transitions are not only environmentally sustainable but also socially equitable.The central problem this Research Topic seeks to address is the persistent invisibility of gender in the design, evaluation, and governance of transport and mobility transitions. Despite growing investments in sustainable and climate-responsive mobility systems, policy and planning processes often fail to account for gendered travel behavior, safety concerns, unpaid care responsibilities, and unequal access to mobility resources. As a result, mobility transitions risk reproducing or intensifying existing social and spatial inequalities, undermining both equity and sustainability objectives.The goal of this Research Topic is to generate robust, gender-sensitive evidence that can inform more inclusive and effective mobility transitions. It aims to advance conceptual, empirical, and policy-oriented research that integrates gender into sustainable transport planning, climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, and future mobility innovations. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives and context-specific insights—particularly from developing and emerging economies—the collection seeks to identify pathways for embedding gender responsiveness into transport policy, infrastructure design, and governance frameworks. Ultimately, the Research Topic aims to contribute to mobility systems that support climate goals while promoting social justice, accessibility, and equal participation across genders.This Research Topic welcomes interdisciplinary contributions that examine the intersections of gender, climate change, and sustainable mobility transitions across diverse geographical contexts. The scope includes, but is not limited to, gendered travel behavior and mobility patterns; public transport accessibility, safety, and affordability; climate impacts on everyday mobility; gender-responsive transport and climate policies; care work, trip chaining, and mobility justice; and the gender implications of emerging mobility technologies such as electrification, shared mobility, and smart transport systems. Contributions addressing intersectionality—linking gender with income, age, disability, caste, migration status, or spatial inequality—are particularly encouraged.The Research Topic invites original research articles, policy and practice reviews, systematic reviews, conceptual or theoretical papers, and case studies with clear policy relevance. Empirical studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods are welcome, as are comparative and cross-country analyses. Topic editors: Dr. Taru Saigal, Daniela Anna Misul, Rui Esteves Araújo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78096/gender-climate-and-the-future-of-sustainable-mobility-transitions