Failed mobility transition in an ideal setting and implications for building a green city

The mobility sector significantly contributes to the climate crisis, impacting several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as good health (SDG 3), sustainable cities (SDG 11), climate action (SDG 13), and life on land (SDG 15). Despite broad consensus on the need for mobility transformation, practical implementation is contentious due to diverse stakeholder interests. Tübingen, a green showcase city in Germany, exemplifies this challenge. Although ideal for green mobility, a tramway project was rejected in a referendum. This case-study highlights that mobility transition is not just a technical issue but a discourse-communicative challenge, emphasising the role of socially embedded narratives. The study aims to explain the referendum’s rejection by analysing discourses, identifying argumentation patterns, and providing insights for future projects. Using Hajer’s Discourse Coalitions approach and Discourse Network Analysis, the study found that the discourse was dynamic and polarised. The pro-tramway coalition’s communication deficiencies and the opposing coalition’s strong narrative connectivity influenced the outcome. Recommendations for effective communication strategies in future projects are provided.