Shared use of transport as a component of the circular economy in relation to achieving sustainable development goals

Abstract

The study aims to substantiate the feasibility of implementing models of shared transport as a tool for applying the principles of circular economy (CE) in the context of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on rural territorial communities in Ukraine. The paper proposes an assessment of the economic, environmental, and social effects of implementing shared transport programmes at the local level. Methods of case analysis, correlation analysis, logical generalization, and a structural-functional approach have been applied. Direct effects of car-sharing implementation in the Adzhamka territorial community have been calculated: a reduction of CO2 emissions by 13.68 tons per year and an annual saving for users of up to 43,000 UAH. Three hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of the sharing transport model have been tested: it has been proven that it provides comprehensive sustainable development effects, depends on the digital readiness of the population, and is financially sustainable in a cooperative format. The study identified structural barriers to scaling the sharing economy (SE) in rural areas, including the digital divide and insufficient levels of social activity within communities. The potential of shared mobility models for rural regions in the post-war period has been summarized. An approach to assessing the viability of local models has been proposed, based on a combination of environmental indicators, household costs, and the level of digital inclusion.