Part of the She Drives Mobility Academy This conversation has been
available as a video in the She Drives Mobility Academy one week in
advance. The first half of this podcast episode is freely available
to all listeners, while the final 28 minutes are exclusive to
Academy subscribers. This episode is sponsored by myclimate. If
your company's interested in working together, just give me a
shout! In this thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with
Mikael Colville-Andersen, Danish urban designer, CEO of
Copenhagenize Design Company, and one of the world's most
influential voices for human-centered urban planning. Mikael has
dedicated over two decades to the endeavour of enhancing urban
environments, his oeuvre is predicated on the notion that social
transformation is catalysed by community cohesion. We explore the
contradictions and possibilities of mobility transformation (in
Germany), the power of local action over national politics, and the
potential of urbanism as a form of medicine, especially in times of
crisis. Germany's Mobility Paradox Mikael offers a surprising
diagnosis: Despite the fact that the narrative places significant
emphasis on Germany as "Autoland," an alternative interpretation of
the data is possible. Germany is positioned fourth globally in
terms of cycling modal share, surpassed only by the Netherlands,
Denmark, and Japan, and outperforming the majority of the world.
Cities such as Berlin have a cycling modal share of 25%, while
Munich, a prominent centre within the automotive industry, has
nearly 20%, and Münster has achieved a rate of 35%. Mikael
highlights the irony: "In the major automotive nations, citizens
assert: I am more intelligent, and therefore I will take my
bicycle." In automotive strongholds, rational citizens are opting
for pragmatic solutions, namely bicycles and public transport, due
to their superior functionality. A frequently absent element in
such analyses is the consideration of the political will. National
Politics vs. Municipal Action In response to the issue of recent
political shifts, such as the conservative governments that have
been observed to roll back bicycle infrastructure in cities like
Berlin, Mikael proposes a crucial distinction: national politics
and municipal politics often fail to align. He places particular
emphasis on the notion that authentic change occurs at the local
level. "I don't care as much about what happens nationally. I focus
on what I can influence in my neighborhood, on my street, with
people I can talk to in this very well-functioning democracy we
have." Subscriber-Exclusive Content Pragmatism, Punk, and the
Politics of Anger Available only to She Drives Mobility Academy
subscribers Mikael discusses the tension between civil political
discourse and the urgency of climate action. He acknowledges the
value of anger: "It's totally fine to be angry. It's totally fine
to be in your face." But he also emphasizes that nothing will
change unless it is changed. Electric cars aren't the
solution—they're just a new profit model for the automotive
industry (replacing cars every 3 years instead of 12). "We don't
need different cars, we need fewer cars. It's shocking that we
still have to say this." Bikes for Ukraine: Urbanism as Medicine
Mikael shares the story behind of "Bikes for Ukraine," a project of
him that has facilitated the delivery of over 1,300 used bicycles
from European cities to Ukraine. These bicycles, far from being
luxurious or performance-oriented, are utilitarian in nature. They
are equipped with baskets and racks, and are employed by social
workers and volunteers to deliver essential goods, including food,
water, and medicine, to the most vulnerable members of society. "I
love the poetry of a simple used bicycle from Berlin or Copenhagen
changing lives in Ukraine every single day."
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