We will need much more cycling if we are to combat climate change. Without faster and more determined collective action by governments to cut global transport CO₂ emissions, present and future generations will be doomed to a world that is more hostile and less inhabitable.

Transportation is responsible for 24% of global direct CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion, road vehicles account for nearly three quarters of transport emissions, and these numbers are not decreasing. On top of the unsustainable levels of carbon emissions that are ruining our planet’s climate, road vehicles are polluting our air at unprecedented levels, contributing to the deaths of an estimated 7 million people yearly.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report published in August 2021 identified cycling as one of the solutions to ensure a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future. Bicycle use produces zero emissions, comes with a long list of societal and economic benefits and is quite simply one of humanity’s greatest hopes for a shift towards a zero-carbon future.

New research shows that life-cycle CO₂ emissions drop by 14% per additional cycling trip and by 62% for each avoided car trip. Switching from a car to a bicycle saves 150g of CO₂ per kilometre, e-cargo bikes cut carbon emissions by 90% compared with diesel vans and swapping the car in cities for walking and cycling even just one day a week can reduce your carbon footprint by about half a tonne of CO₂ over a year. Building synergies with other travel modes such as long-distance trains can critically enhance this potential.

Wanted at COP26: more political and financial support for cycling

The climate crisis is already upon us. We must urgently leverage the solutions that cycling offers by radically scaling up its use. To do so, we need for governments to politically and financially commit to more, safer and integrated cycling that is equitable for everyone living in our countries, cities and regions. But as hundreds of government leaders and delegations prepare to head to Glasgow for COP26, the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) is concerned that only zero-emission vehicles will be on the negotiation table for global commitments related to transportation.

We believe there is no conceivable way for governments worldwide to reduce CO2 emissions quickly enough to avoid the worst of the climate crisis without significantly more cycling. COP26 is an important opportunity to make it clear that cycling is a cheap and highly effective weapon – a no-brainer investment – in humanity’s fight against climate change.

To represent the voice of cyclists in Europe, ECF President Henk Swarttouw and ECF CEO Jill Warren will be on the ground at COP26 to meet with governments and organisations and make the case for cycling as one of the best solutions to reach our global climate goals quickly and effectively.

Are you going to COP26 and would you like to meet up? Contact Henk or Jill: ECF goes to COP26