Press release of the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)

• In the citizen science study “Be Mobile in Your Own Way”, citizens are investigating how mobility in Berlin can become healthier and fairer. Anyone interested in taking part in the project by Freie Universität Berlin and the IÖW can register until 1st April 2025.
   
• The study has a special focus on people who are disadvantaged in their mobility: People with limitations, disabilities or chronic illnesses, as well as older people, families and migrants.
   
• From April 2025, the participants will explore their everyday routes in Berlin and share their experiences. The aim is also to develop recommendations for policymakers.
   

Berlin, March 11, 2025 – On foot, by bike, with a walking frame or pram, in a wheelchair, by car or public transport: a city's mobility is as diverse as its inhabitants. How can the city of Berlin better meet these different needs? A citizen science study will be launched in April 2025. Freie Universität Berlin and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) are inviting people to take part in the study under the motto “Be Mobile in Your Own Way”. The aim is to find out what barriers exist for people who want to move around the city in a healthy way. Registration for the study is open until the 1st of April 2025.

Making healthy mobility accessible to all

Preliminary discussions between the project team and citizens revealed that many people find it difficult to get around the city safely and healthily. For example, people who use wheelchairs or walking frames still face restrictions in public spaces and traffic. There is also often too little space and safety for pedestrians, especially children, on Berlin's streets.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to move around the city in a healthy way," says IÖW researcher Vivian Frick. Regular exercise, such as walking, cycling or using a wheelchair, can reduce stress and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. “We want to find out how everyone can benefit from these advantages, meaning how access to healthy mobility can be facilitated,” explains Frick. Among other things, a well-developed and accessible public transport system, road safety and good air quality in the city are important.

Increasing the visibility of disadvantages

The voices of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, older people, families and people with a history of migration have been under-represented in mobility research. The researchers want to change this by encouraging anyone who experiences disadvantage on Berlin's streets, buses or trains to share their experiences.

“A city without barriers is good for everyone. That's why we're delighted that the study is giving everyone the chance to report barriers and problems. We encourage Berliners to take part,” says Roland Stimpel from Fuss e.V., one of the project's practice partners.

On the trail of everyday journeys

The study will start in April 2025 with personal kick-off meetings. All participants will then be observing their everyday journeys in Berlin for two weeks. “During this time, you will answer a few short questions every day about your own mobility. Depending on your preference, you can do this via an app, on a PC, on paper or by phone,” explains Jan Keller, Freie Universität Berlin.

In order to understand how the heat affects daily mobility, further short surveys will be conducted in the summer. Anyone interested can also borrow a fitness watch for four weeks and collect data on daily movement. All data will be analyzed anonymously. There is a compensation of 60 euros for taking part, or 80 euros if you also wear the fitness watch.

Urban climate, equity and participation: research groups to explore three themes

Anyone who wants to get more involved can join a research group. In three groups, participants will delve deeper into the topics of urban climate, healthy mobility for all, as well as engagement and change. The groups will develop research questions, collect data, analyze it, discuss the results and propose solutions.

It is planned that the research groups, together with the project team, will present their findings at a final event in spring 2026. This will include concrete recommendations for Berlin policy makers.

More about the project

The “AMBER – Active mobility to promote health and environmental protection” project brings together researchers from the fields of health psychology, environmental social sciences, public health, meteorology and sustainability management. At the heart of the project are two citizen science studies that will take place in Berlin from 2025 to 2026 and in Frankfurt (Oder) from 2026 to 2027.

The project of Freie Universität Berlin and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) is part of the “Climate, Environment and Health” funding program of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

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More information:

• Website of the study: www.mobil-auf-deine-weise.de/en
• Information on the process and answers to frequently asked questions
• Registration form: www.ioew.de/amber-study-registration
• About the AMBER project: www.amber-forschung.de/en
• Download press graphic (Copyright: AMBER project / Lone Thomasky, 2025)
• Material for multipliers