Applying the ‘Backcasting’ Method to Achieve Sustainable Mobility: The Case of Niteroi

The city of Niterói is the former capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. In 2013, the municipal administration recognised that transport trends were not sustainable and that the existing policy framework seemed unlikely to move society towards more sustainable transport and mobility. A new approach was required for public policies related to land use and transport that would be consistent with the broad definition of sustainable development. Therefore, the ‘backcasting’ method was used to develop policies and strategies to achieve the desired performance targets.