A theories of practice perspective in understanding barriers to sustainable commuting: The case of United Arab Emirates

Shilpa Iyanna*, Carmela Bosangit, Jordon Lazell, Marylyn Carrigan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A critical step to mitigate climate change is to reduce automobile pollution emissions. The transportation sector produces 23% of world energy-related CO2 emissions with three quarters of the emissions coming from road transport, specifically passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The daily commute constitutes a significant portion of the traffic demand in cities, as people's use of private cars remains an integral part of daily life. Using theories of practice, this paper investigates the range of elements (meanings, competencies, and materials) that collectively shapes the practice of daily commuting. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research comprises 21 interviews with United Arab Emirates residents. Our findings reveal two major insights: (a) “meanings” play a more dominant role in shaping the practice of daily commuting; thus, competencies and materials are integrated in a way that addresses these meanings, and (b) practices are simultaneously interconnected with other practices and often compete for the finite resources of consumers. The paper provides insights to the barriers to sustainable commuting practices and outlines significant opportunities for intervention.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere1668
JournalInternational Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing
Volume24
Issue number4
Early online date20 Nov 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2019
Externally publishedYes

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