14 JUNE, 2024
Who: Charles Darwin University law and technology expert Dr Mark Brady
Topics:
- Distributive justice, or the fair distribution of burdens and benefits among society
- The distributive justice of e-scooters beyond sustainability
- How distributive justice needs to be a priority in policy framework
Contact details: Call +61 8 8946 6721 or email media@cdu.edu.au to arrange an interview.
Quotes attributable to Dr Mark Brady:
"Micromobility devices are a sustainable solution to reduce cars on the streets and once enough people are using them, it’s presupposed to save energy and reduce emissions.
“Footpaths were traditionally safe spaces where people such as the elderly, disabled, people with babies, and children could walk, separated from the dangers of heavy motor vehicles.
“A misconceived understanding of distributive justice has now shifted the risk to pedestrians and the introduction of e-scooters represents a potentially lethal hazard on footpaths. The risk has now transferred to what once was a safe space and now for many is now a place of hypervigilance.
“Framing policy needs to consider the ramifications on others, not just the absolute end goal of reducing carbon emissions. To offset climate change, what we’re doing is indirectly transferring the burden to other parts of society.
“In the rush to produce sustainable policy framework, most policymakers don’t apply a structured framework around a wholistic distribution of justice.
“Whole of life cycle needs to be an essential consideration when drafting policy around sustainability. Policymakers need to take into consideration distributive justice up and down the chain, and consider the impacts both vertically and horizontally.”
Contact details:
Raphaella Saroukos she/her
Research Communications Officer
Marketing, Media & Communications
Larrakia Country
T: +61 8 8946 6721
E: media@cdu.edu.au
W: cdu.edu.au
