Call for research on "Contributions of Transportation and Physical Activity to Sustainability"

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Richard Larouche E-Mail Website SciProfiles
Guest Editor

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Interests: active transportation; physical activity; independent mobility; outdoor play; health promotion; population health; sustainability

Dr. Eun-Young Lee E-Mail Website SciProfiles
Guest Editor

School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Interests: climate change; intersectionality; outdoor play; 24-hour movement behaviors; population health; sustainabilitySpecial Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are happy to invite contributions to our Special Issue of Sustainability that focuses on the relationships among transportation, physical activity, and sustainability. In the context of the climate emergency [1,2], active transportation is a promising approach to mitigation that can generate substantial health co-benefits, including reductions in all-cause mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, and some cancers [3–8]. Physical activity can also play an important role in achieving many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [6,9], yet motorized travel for sport and leisure activities can be a source of greenhouse gas emissions in need of mitigation [10]. Our Special Issue aims to contribute to the burgeoning literature that highlights how the transportation and physical activity sectors can contribute to addressing climate change. As the planetary health literature remains dominated by studies of impacts of climate change rather than studies examining mitigation and adaptation measures [11], we are particularly interested in solution-oriented research focusing on non-communicable diseases and climate change at the population level [12]. We are also interested in local, regional, or national examples of good practices that can increase active transportation and/or physical activity in a scalable and sustainable manner. Furthermore, given the well-known disparities in accessing and participating in active transportation, outdoor play, and physical activity [13–15], as well as unequitable vulnerability to climate change across sociodemographic groups (e.g., gender, income, education, minority status) [1,16], articles investigating sustainable forms of physical activity through an equity lens are welcome. Finally, we are interested in scoping or systematic reviews summarizing research on the abovementioned topics and offering recommendations for policy and practice. If you would like to discuss your manuscript’s suitability to this Special Issue, please contact the guest editor.

References:

1. Myers, S., & Frumkin, H. (2020). Planetary health: protecting nature to protect ourselves. Island Press.

2. Ripple, W., Wolf, C., Newsome, T., Barnard, P., Moomaw, W., & Grandcolas, P. (2019). World scientists' warning of a climate emergency. BioScience, 70(1), 8–12.

3. Giles-Corti, B., Vernez-Moudon, A., Reis, R., Turrell, G., Dannenberg, A. L., Badland, H., ... & Owen, N. (2016). City planning and population health: a global challenge. The Lancet, 388(10062), 2912–2924.

4. Larouche, R. (2018). Children’s active transportation. Cambridge, MA; Elsevier.

5. Patz, J. A., Frumkin, H., Holloway, T., Vimont, D. J., & Haines, A. (2014). Climate change: challenges and opportunities for global health. Journal of the American Medical Association, 312(15), 1565–1580.

6. Salvo, D., Garcia, L., Reis, R. S., Stankov, I., Goel, R., Schipperijn, J., ... & Pratt, M. (in press). Physical Activity Promotion and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Building Synergies to Maximize Impact. Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

7. Tranter, P., & Tolley, R. (2020). Slow cities: Conquering our speed addiction for health and sustainability. Cambridge, MA; Elsevier.

8. Woodcock, J., Edwards, P., Tonne, C., Armstrong, B. G., Ashiru, O., Banister, D., ... & Roberts, I. (2009). Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: urban land transport. The Lancet, 374(9705), 1930–1943.

9. World Health Organization. (2018). Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030: more active people for a healthier world. Geneva, Switzerland; World Health Organization.

10. Bernard, P., Chevance, G., Kingsbury, C., Baillot, A., Romain, A. J., Molinier, V., ... & Dancause, K. N. (2021). Climate change, physical activity and sport: a systematic review. Sports Medicine, 51(5), 1041–1059.

11. Berrang-Ford, L., Sietsma, A. J., Callaghan, M., Minx, J. C., Scheelbeek, P. F., Haddaway, N. R., ... & Dangour, A. D. (in press). Systematic mapping of global research on climate and health: a machine learning review. The Lancet Planetary Health.

12. Huang, T. T.-K. (2009). Solution-oriented research: Converging efforts of promoting environmental sustainability and obesity prevention. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(6), S60–S62.

13. Hallal, P. C., Andersen, L. B., Bull, F. C., Guthold, R., Haskell, W., Ekelund, U., & Lancet Physical Activity Series Working Group. (2012). Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. The Lancet, 380(9838), 247–257.

14. Heinen, E., Van Wee, B., & Maat, K. (2010). Commuting by bicycle: an overview of the literature. Transport Reviews, 30(1), 59–96.

15. Lee, EY., Bains, A., Hunter, S. et al. (2021). Systematic review of the correlates of outdoor play and time among children aged 3-12 years. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 18(41). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01097-9

16. Zisis, E., Hakimi, S. & Lee, EY. (2021). Climate change, 24-hour movement behaviors, and health: a mini umbrella review. Global Health Research and Policy, 6(15). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-021-00198-z

Dr. Richard Larouche
Dr. Eun-Young Lee
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.