ECF goes to COP28 UAE to advocate for cycling as a solution to decarbonise transport and improve people’s lives

Hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates, the 28th edition of the UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties (COP) took place in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December 2023. CEO Jill Warren and Members and Networks Manager Froso Christofides attended COP28 in ECF’s capacities as a UN-accredited observer NGO, as a core coordinating partner of the Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH), and as a long-time member of the Partnership for Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLOCAT Partnership).

ECF co-hosts successful high-level side event with mayors, a national ministry and banks

On 2 December, ECF co-hosted an official COP28 side event entitled Walking and Cycling Policies, Investments and Inclusion in NDCs for Climate, Health and Equity with Walk21, FIA Foundation, ITDP and Despacio.

The session featured an impressive line-up of speakers, including Vice Minister of Transport of Colombia Carlos Eduardo Enríquez Caicedo, European Investment Bank Head of Environment, Climate and Social Office Stephen O’Driscoll, World Bank Global Director for the Transport Sector in the Infrastructure Practice Group Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Mayor of Bogota Claudia Lopez, and Mayor of Utrecht Sharon Dijksma.

Highlights of the most recent PATH report were presented, which showed that most countries significantly undervalue the potential of walking and cycling in their policies and in their Naturally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as a solution to decarbonising transport. As a notable exception to this, Colombia was showcased as a best practice example.

Following this opening, two lively panel discussions focused on financing and investments in active travel, incorporating the perspective of financing banks, which increasingly are supporting active travel projects, and cities, where the implementation has to happen. Mayor Lopez and Mayor Dijksma shared interesting insights and experiences of how the transformation is happening on the ground in their cities.

The event recording can be viewed online at the official UNFCCC YouTube channel here.

Cycling features prominently on COP28’s Transport Day

6 December was the thematic day for Urbanisation, the Built Environment and Transport at COP28.

The day started for ECF with an active mobility-themed breakfast event at the residence of the Netherlands Consulate in Dubai. This included a presentation on the newly launched ACTIVE (Alliance for Cycling and Walking Towards International Vitality) initiative. Led by the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, ACTIVE aims to train 10,000 mobility experts in emerging economies over the next decade.

Later in the day, Jill Warren spoke at numerous transport-themed events organised by our partners and friendly governments to raise awareness of cycling as an essential solution for decarbonising transport and improving health, equity and liveability. These included:

• An event in the UNFCCC Sustainable Development Goals Pavilion organised by UITP, UIC, SLOCAT and UNDESA, where Jill highlighted the importance of enabling more cycling to reduce carbon emissions;
• A panel discussion at the Bhutan pavilion at the invitation of Arup and the Royal Government of Bhutan focused on their emissions reduction master plan and creating a sustainable transport system for the capital, Thimphu, which includes measures to enable more cycling. Jill shared her thoughts on various approaches that could be taken; and
• A panel discussion at the Portugal pavilion organised by the Republic of Portugal, Walk21 and UITP on the role of effective national walking, cycling and public transport policies and local action to achieve the Paris Agreement. Jill presented the cycling perspective.

More attention to cycling at COP

In a side event the day before Transport Day, European Commission DG MOVE’s Deputy Director Herald Ruijters extolled the virtues of the Commission’s historic new European Cycling Declaration and its compatibility with the EU’s climate goals.

Jill and Froso were invited to try out some of Dubai’s state-of-the-art cycling infrastructure and its Careem bike share scheme at a Family Bike Ride event at Jumeirah Beach organised by local cycling advocate Deema Aburizik with Maud de Vries from ECF’s associate member BYCS.

The UNFCCC takes greater note of cycling and active mobility in the Avoid–Shift–Improve framework

The electrification of motorised vehicles has long dominated the global transport decarbonisation agenda. Over many months leading up to COP28, ECF participated in consultations of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action’s Transport Thematic Group and engaged with the UNFCCC Climate Champions Team to advocate for a stronger focus on cycling and more explicit references to cycling as a solution to meet Paris Agreement goals. These efforts are starting to bear fruit. During COP28, the Climate Champions Team reflected our input in an article outlining three qualitative goals in its Avoid – Shift – Improve framework that could “serve as a foundational step towards the definition of quantitative “Avoid & Shift” specific, land transport sector breakthroughs for COP29, laying the groundwork for comprehensive advancements.”

“Ensuring convenient access to sustainable transportation modes, such as walking, cycling, and public transportation, is a pivotal goal in advancing global sustainability.” – UNFCCC Climate Champions Team

Active mobility was also included on equal footing alongside other major modes in the COP28 Presidency’s Flagship Transport event on 6 December, represented by Walk21 CEO Bronwen Thornton as one of the plenary speakers. This further underscores the increased importance the UNFCCC ascribes to active mobility in climate change mitigation.

Taking the global movement for walking and cycling to COP with us

Last but definitely not least, as part of the PATH coalition COP activities, ECF and its PATH partners launched a call to action in the form of the PATH COP28 Open Letter. The letter calls on the UNFCCC, governments and negotiators to prioritise and invest in walking and cycling to significantly accelerate progress on climate goals. The letter has attracted over 400 signatures from civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations across more than 70 countries.

ECF was proud to be able to take so many organisations with us to COP in this way and wishes to thank all organisations who supported our efforts by signing the letter.

What’s next?

Building on these successes, with a view to COP29 ECF will continue to harness the power of the cycling movements in global fora to advocate for the greater prioritisation of cycling to decarbonise transport and improve people’s health and lives.