Push back against 15 minute cities isn’t about proximity to coffee shops or schools, it’s about trust.
Any meaningful response to opposition against 15 minute cities must recognize its connection to pandemic polarization.
Vaccine hesitancy fuelled anger towards the unvaccinated and a willingness to withhold fundamental political rights from them including their freedom of movement.
The overlap between opposition to 15 minute cities and Covid-19 restrictions is clarifying. Those who lost trust in institutions during the pandemic see 15 minute cities as the deployment of planning expertise and climate science on behalf of covert political goals. Deep skepticism is therefore an unsurprising response to proposals that restrict where and when people can drive as a means to address climate change.
Success of the quarter hour city will not come from technical expertise alone. Social scientists with behavioural expertise can help reach low trust groups. Engaging community organizations and trusted messengers from within divided groups can share reliable information. And those with opposing views must have a seat at the decision-making table.
15 minute cities or something similar can be part of a climate change solution but, like the pandemic, avoiding polarization and building trust is key to solving any crisis that requires massive behavioural change.