Assessing the EU Climate and Energy Policy Priorities for Transport and Mobility through the Analysis of User-Generated Social Media Content Based on Text-Mining Techniques

Abstract

For over three decades, the European Union’s (EU) transport policy has aimed at fostering environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. Since 2015, European policymakers have focused more on three key sustainable development goals: decarbonizing the transport system, promoting low-emission mobility solutions, and transitioning to renewable and alternative fuels. To effectively communicate priorities and engage stakeholders, EU policymakers regularly use social media platforms like Twitter (now known as X). This active discourse involves policymakers, industrial stakeholders, the media, and the public, offering insights into the role of transport policy in addressing climate change and energy transition challenges. The current research endeavors to track and analyze the evolution of user-generated content related to climate change, energy transition, and smart mobility on Twitter from 2011 to 2021. This research uses text-mining and social network analysis techniques to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the dynamics of relevant EU policies and their effects. The study’s findings can be used to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework at the EU and national levels. This framework will assess the effectiveness of communicating strategic priorities for sustainable transport development. It also holds potential for application in other sectors, broadening its impact.