Tokenising behaviour change: optimising blockchain technology for sustainable transport interventions

Abstract: Transport makes an impact across SDGs, encompassing climate change, health, inequality and sustainability. It is also an area in which individuals are able to make decisions which have potential to collectively contribute to significant and wide-ranging benefits. Governments and authorities need citizens to make changes towards adopting sustainable transport behaviours and behaviour change interventions are being used as tools to foster changes in travel choices, towards more sustainable modes. Blockchain technology has the potential to bring new levels of scale to transport behaviour change interventions, but a rigorous approach to token design is required. This paper uses a survey of research projects and use cases to analyse current applications of blockchain technology in transport behaviour change interventions, and identifies barriers and limitations to achieving targeted change at scale. The paper draws upon these findings to outline a research agenda that brings a focus on correlating specific Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) to token design, and defines processes for standardising token designs in behaviour change tools. The paper further outlines architecture and operational considerations for blockchain-based platforms in behaviour change interventions, such that design choices do not compromise opportunities or wider environmental goals.