Air Pollution and Public Bike-Sharing System Ridership in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

A bicycle-sharing system (BSS) has been implemented in Seoul, South Korea to promote green transportation policy as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to mitigate climate change, reduce traffic jams, and promote physical activity. However, the concentration of air pollutants in Seoul often exceeds the standards of the World Health Organization, thereby creating a conflict with SDG 3 (Health). Therefore, it is important to recognize the trade-offs between actions targeted at SDGs as they might offset each other. In this context, a primary concern is investigating how the behavior of BSS users regarding outdoor air pollution appears. This study explores the relationship between ambient air pollution and the behavior of BSS riders in Seoul. We conducted a time-series analysis of associations between particulate air pollution and participation in the BSS. We used generalized additive models, adjusted for mean temperature, humidity, rainfall, day of the week, long-term trends, and seasonality to construct an exposure–response relationship. We observed a nonlinear relationship between increasing air pollution and bicycle ridership. This study method can be used as a basis for similar analyses to investigate BSS policies in other cities.

Analyzing Public Environmental Concerns at the Threshold to Reduce Urban Air Pollution

“…As one sustainable development goal (SDG) to combat climate change, Seoul, South Korea, established a bicycle sharing system (BSS) to encourage green transportation practices. The environmental advantages of these activities were brought to light by this campaign [57]. Residents' opinions of environmental health have also improved as a result of education regarding the precise kinds and concentrations of pollution in their homes [58].…”

Applying a Combination of Cutting-Edge Industry 4.0 Processes towards Fabricating a Customized Component

“…Increased traffic, congestion, and ecological awareness are prompting more and more people to turn to micro-mobility, which, as things stand, has become a regular feature of our daily lives. Their main arguments are that cycling does not cause traffic congestion, requires minimal parking space, can be used off-road, and does not pollute the environment in any way [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51].…”

Forecasting the Reduction in Urban Air Pollution by Expansion of Market Shares of Eco-Friendly Vehicles: A Focus on Seoul, Korea

“…Thus, Seoul has implemented various alternative policies, such as implementing the Green Transport Zone, limiting the operation of outdated diesel vehicles, and managing vehicular operations according to the gas emission classification (grades 1 to 5) to reduce the air pollutants caused by vehicles. The dissemination of eco-friendly transportation indicates that transportation plays an essential role in implementing sustainable policies [9].The city has also expended efforts to disseminate eco-friendly vehicles with no air pollutant emissions, such as those electrically and hydrogen-powered [10]. Recently (June 2021), Seoul presented a policy to accelerate the dissemination of eco-friendly vehicles as one of the leading green mobility strategies for GHG reduction in the "2050 Seoul Climate Action Plan".…”