Description
The John Molson School of Business and the Jacques Ménard - BMO Centre for Capital Markets at Concordia University and the Sustainable Finance Research Centre at Corvinus University of Budapest kindly invite contributions to the edited book collection, entitled Sustainable Transportation: Harnessing Financial and Human Capital for a Green and Equitable Mobility Transition, to be published by Palgrave Macmillan.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sustainable Transportation is an edited collection is positioned at the intersection of three fields – finance, management, and social/spatial equity as central, yet often overlooked, dimensions of green urban mobility interventions. Whereas most existing studies focus on technology, engineering, or urban planning, this book examines the financial architectures, governance models, and social/spatial impacts that ultimately determine whether low-carbon transitions in mobility succeed or fail. The volume argues that the pressing questions of our time are not only how to electrify fleets, build new transit-oriented communities, or deploy digital platforms, but also how to finance these initiatives, how risks are shared between public and private actors, and how their benefits and costs are distributed across society.

The scope of the project is intentionally multidisciplinary, combining financial innovation with managerial practice and social/spatial equity analysis. Contributors will explore how instruments such as green and transition bonds, land value capture, and blended finance are shaping the future of mobility investments, while also investigating the governance arrangements through which governments, pension funds, private operators, and community organizations negotiate responsibility for large-scale projects. Equally important, the book highlights the societal dimensions of green urban mobility, from climate gentrification and housing affordability around new transit hubs to the broader question of whether and how decarbonized systems can be designed to support accessibility and equity. The book presents decision-support frameworks and optimization models alongside narrative case studies, ensuring both academic rigor and practical relevance.

By combining these elements, the book fills an urgent gap in the literature. It offers the first comprehensive account of low-carbon urban mobility from a finance- and management-centered perspective, while also recognizing that such transitions cannot be divorced from questions of equity and social acceptability. The collection thus satisfies the need for a single, accessible resource that bridges finance, governance, and society, making it valuable both for academic teaching and for professionals tasked with designing, funding, and implementing the next generation of mobility systems.

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS:

Given the global nature of our book’s subject matter, the co-editors welcome contributions from scholars and industry experts around the world who work at the intersection of finance, transportation, urban planning, and policy. The contributions as a whole will address one of the most urgent global challenges: how to finance and manage the transition to low-carbon urban mobility systems in ways that are socially equitable.

Due to the interconnected and intricate nature of the topic, the editors encourage contributions that take a multidisciplinary approach. Sustainable Transportation will be a resource that not only advances scholarly debate but also provides policymakers, investors, and civil society actors with practical instruments for evaluating financing viability, managing risks, and promoting socially-just outcomes transport decarbonization. Consequently, we seek a diverse range of chapters that incorporate theoretical analysis, applied decision-making tools, and empirical case studies.

Submitted chapters must be original and exclusively prepared for the book, with no part of the article having been published elsewhere. Finally, although the book can be used as a reference book in academic courses, it is not explicitly organized as a textbook.

POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR CHAPTERS:

FINANCING THE LOW-CARBON TRANSITION
MANAGING SYSTEMS, COSTS, AND UNCERTAINTY
SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVES AND EQUITY
CASE STUDIES AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
FUTURE DIRECTIONS

IMPORTANT DATES:

We currently anticipate the following timeline for the project:

Abstract and CV submission deadline - February 28th, 2026
Selection of abstracts and notification to successful contributors – March 31st, 2026
Full chapter submission - May 31st, 2026
Revised chapter submission – July 31st, 2026
Manuscript delivery – September 30th, 2026
Publication (tentative date) – Fall 2026/Winter 2027

GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS:

Submissions should be written in English using a non-technical writing style. The contributions may include diagrams/illustrations in order to present data, or photographs/figures (all in black & white) to better illustrate the topic of discussion. Submitted chapters should be original and exclusively prepared for the present book. No part of the article should be published elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 7,000 words (including all references, appendices, biographies, etc.), must use 1.5-line spacing and 12 pt. Times New Roman font, and must use the APA 7th edition reference style.

To conform to the policies of Palgrave Macmillan on AI use (which you can read in full here: https://www.springernature.com/it/authors/publish-a-book/manuscript-guidelines) we do not accept AI models as authors of content, we require any use of large language models (LLMs) to be documented in an acknowledgement section, and we do not accept figures created by generative AI. Please note that all chapters will be checked for plagiarism and AI use.

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 500 words, a bibliography for their proposed chapter, and a CV. Abstract submissions are expected by February 28th, 2026. Submissions should be sent via email to: sustainable.transportation@concordia.ca