Social mobility has a direct impact on the so-called ‘bottom triple line’ of sustainable development, requiring protection not only for the environment, but also social and economic activities that rely on access to affordable and reliable transport systems [1]. One of the core issues when considering how to intervene in such a sector is to understand how it can contribute to sustainable development. Although this term has a range of interpretations, there appears to be an international consensus that it should promote social justice now and for future generations. This definition was first mooted in the 1987 report of the United Nations, World Commission on Environment and Development, ‘Our Common Future’ [2]. The theme has subsequently been adopted, in 1992 by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, with publication of the Agenda 21 action plan. Also, more recently, in 2015, in the adoption of a renewed ‘Agenda for Sustainable Development’ comprising a set of development goals to be implemented by 2030 [3]. Sustainable mobility is incorporated within these goals as it is included in aims to promote human well-being, affecting aspects such as access to work, the requirement for sustainable infrastructure as well as for sustainable urban regeneration. However, as transport currently accounts for 20% of energy use worldwide, it remains a challenge to the development of sustainable practices [4].

The reconfiguration of global, interrelated systems of mobility is an ambitious target. Transport systems typically comprise a network of heterogeneous actors that cut across stakeholder interests in both innovation of new artefacts and in the process of travel. There are a range of forms, in terms of air, water and road travel and these have differential geographical implications, with impacts at local, regional, national and international levels. In terms of understanding the complexity of mobility it is necessary to consider who or what is being transported, and how much distance is being covered. Also, this is an issue which impacts unevenly in urban and rural areas, with the latter possibly more dependent on the use of fossil fuels for transportation due to a lack of viable alternatives. In terms of the promotion of environmental sustainability, short term decision making by the public can have a significant environmental impact. For example, campaigns to educate the public into walking or cycling for shorter distances carry both objectives of promoting a healthy lifestyle as well as reducing the impact of the local use of private automobiles. In addition, the choice of using public transport both locally and nationally can deliver environmental benefits. However, it is also clear that permanent change is dependent on sustainable innovation in the production of new vehicles and the development, maintenance and renewal of transport systems. There are examples where new types of public transport infrastructures have been trialed, such as the European fuel cell bus projects [5]. More recently, in Milton Keynes in the UK, an electric bus project has demonstrated an innovative system of battery charging based on induction power transfer [6]. However, despite these schemes sustainable public transport systems are still underdeveloped.

In terms of innovation for sustainable mobility there has also been much emphasis on new technologies for the privately owned automobile. Developments have mainly focused both on use of renewable materials in manufacture and on the potential for innovation in vehicle fuels. In terms of the former, research is being carried out into novel materials such as bio-plastics and plant fibre, as well as focusing on the need to reduce the volume of material use and recycling where appropriate [7]. Development of vehicle engines that avoid the use of fossil fuels has, it is fair to say, taken longer than expected. This is potentially due to the fact that there are a number of nascent alternative technologies, but not yet one that clearly has advantages of cost and performance over the incumbent technology. Fuel cells for vehicles, for example were pioneered by the small Canadian company Ballard, which was established in 1974, but are still not yet fully commercially viable [8]. Electric vehicles have just passed the 1% sales mark in Europe and remain entrenched in a market niche [9]. Both these fuel types face the major problem of slow infrastructural development for refueling (see, for example, Clarke [10]). In addition, the use of biofuels is still at an early stage worldwide. The sustainable transformation of private transport is still a long term goal, however, issues related to achieving sustainable development in other types of transport is, arguably, more difficult. A report by the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, UK in 2010 noted that the amount of freight traffic in Europe is increasing. Moving to a more sustainable position will involve not only considerable investment in research and development but will also require incentives for the operators to adopt suitable solutions. A recent report for the European Parliament notes that a similar situation bedevils air flight [11].

Global energy consumption has stagnated in the last two years, achieving the goals of COP 21 (Paris 2015) is far behind schedule. On 6 April 2009, the European Council (EC) adopted the EU Energy and Climate Package (2009/28/EC), which provides 20% share for renewables in total energy consumption for the EU as a whole. On 30 November 2016, the European Commission presented a Clean Energy for All Europeans Package. To meet these requirements, it is necessary to develop and use renewable energy sources and improve methods of energy production. However, it is not enough to introduce new devices to the market, the education and co-operation of the population is an indispensable part of the design of green cities.

This chapter aims to contribute to emerging research in the area of sustainable mobility, renewable energies, green cities and new technology of environment protection. The following sections will focus on a range of issues relating to current environmental problems from existing transportation practices, energy use and urban development. In addition, moves towards potential solutions will be outlined. Dóra Szalay’s section will review the current state of biofuels, by type and application and will evaluate the strengths and weakness of this fuel. Following this contribution, Venkatesan Kanagaraj and Martin Treiber report on research that has developed a model to produce instananeous information on individual vehicle fuel consumption and emissions, while Gowri Asaithambi and his co-authors made a comparison between the life cycle CO2 emissions of internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. The next two contributions focus on policies and practical actions that can be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ecological damage more broadly. László Rácz, specifically considers potential for change in the industrial sector, while Eggo Bracker considers the environmental impact of shipping and maritime transport.

Béla Bakó analyses the importance of functionalist urban development to improve the quality of life of the people living in cities. The following sections define some of the new opportunities offered by advanced renewable energy production. Otto Horváth and Lajos Fodor describe the most relevant types of photocatalytic systems, which are driven by sunlight in the ultraviolet-visible range, producing environmentally friendly fuels such as hydrogen. The next section focuses on the energy concept by the University of Lüneburg, which achieved the first climate-neutral energy balance for heat, electricity, cars and business trips in 2014. László Bánhidi reports on study, which takes into account a thermal comfort in the dimensioning of closed spaces. The last part of this section presents the situation with use of geothermal energy in Hungary and the Pannonian basin. This section presents a historical review, and comments on the necessity and processes of thermal water re-injection.

In conclusion, it can be stated that, although transportation and renewable energy as a sector poses immense challenges to the emergence of a more sustainable paradigm, progress can be made through the co-operative interaction between individual action, infrastructure renewal and appropriate innovation strategies.