Active postponement means to deliberately postpone a decision to improve the information basis, wait for technological improvements or to include further actors in the decision-taking-process.

If a decision is passively postponed, no dedicated measures are taken to improve the basis for decision-making. As there is usually no formal process not to decide, external actors can not formaly participate in the decision-making-processes.

Participants from academia stressed that postponing decision-making does not necessarily improve the basis for information. It might be equally possible that new challenges and questions arise.

 Participants mentioned the following fields of questions suitable to active postponement:

- Questions, where further efforts will most likely improve the information basis (e.g. through research projects).

Example: Synthetic fuels. The questions to what extend synthetic fuels should and can contribute to decarbonize the transport sector is currently actively postponed as decision-makers wait for results of ongoing research projects.

Example: Autonomous driving. As the technologies for autonomous driving are still evolving, it does not make sense to regulate these technologies in detail today. But one can already keep in mind to design the registration process for autonomous cars and technologies in a way that they contribute to emission reduction and  a high quality of live. Therefore these cars should be planned from the beginning to be light, energy efficient, slow, safe and connected.

- Questions, where it is assumed that the involvement of stakeholders with a different background or opposing perspectives will lead to a better outcome.

Example: Fostering individual multi-modal-travelling. Multi-modal travelling means that an individual person chooses different types of transport for different types of purposes. For example that person might commute to work by public transport, rent a shared car to do shopping at the weekend and ride by bike to meet friends. Since many of these options are relatively new, further research is needed to understand routines, problems and interests of early adopters. These experiences should then be used to further elabortate mobility options.