Climate Protection through Cycling

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Funded by

Contents

Transport related CO2 emissions

Promoting cycling for short-distance travel

Promoting electric bikes

Promoting traffic reducing urban development

Conclusion

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(Printed edition of the issue: Cycling Expertise No. A-2 by Difu, Berlin 2010)

Everyday traffic

The problem of climate change has become embedded in the public consciousness.

Globally, abnormal and extreme weather conditions will become dramatically more prevalent, if we do not succeed in drastically reducing global emissions.

What contribution can using bicycles make towards a better climate protection?

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Transport related CO2 emissions

Other areas produce more CO2 emissions than the transport sector

However the transport sector accounts for around 160 million tonnes CO2

This are about 20%, of all annual CO2 emissions in Germany

The average German citizen pollutes the environment with 10 tonnes of CO2 annually

Vehicular traffic accounts for two tonnes of this pollution

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Fig.1: CO2 emissions in Germany 2004. Shares of different sectors (in percent).

Transport related CO2 emissions

The current balance of CO2 emissions arising from everyday traffic in Germany clearly shows the carbon footprint it leaves:

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Fig.2: CO2 emissions in Germany 2004. Shares of different sectors (in percent). (Umweltbundesamt)

Transport related CO2 emissions

In the survey MID 2008 travellers were classified into characteristic user groups (see next slide)

Differentiated according to how often they use certain means of transport

In general, cyclists use environmentally friendly means of transport

Public transport usage accounts for a large share of cyclist’s relatively low CO2 emissions

People who bike every day cause the lowest transport-related CO2 emissions (after “scarcely mobile” people)

The CO2 emissions produced by “regular users of motorized transport” is quadruple that of cyclists

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Transport related CO2 emissions

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Fig.3: CO2 emissions arising from everyday transport. Broken down into user groups. (MID 2008)

Transport related CO2-emissions

MID 2008 shows the daily individual CO2-Emissions…

…broken down according to everyday living conditions and means of travel

How much CO2 individuals generate in their everyday life depends on car ownership

Car ownership is more relevant than other criteria, such as place of residence, sex and utilization of public transport

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Fig.4: Daily CO2 emissions, broken down according to every dayliving conditions and means of travel (MID 2008)

Promoting cycling for short-distance travel

In Germany, half of all car journeys are shorter than five kilometres…

…and a quarter is three kilometres or less

Because car engines are most efficient once they have “warmed up”…

…fuel consumption, and thus CO2 emissions, are inordinately high during the first few kilometres

Mostly, journeys up to five kilometres can easily be travelled by bike

For journeys shorter than three kilometres bicycles are the fastest means of transport (cf. next slide)

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Promoting cycling for short-distance travel

10Fig.5: Comparison of travel times for short journeys: pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers

Promoting cycling for short-distance travel

The Netherlands and Denmark show: It is possible to raise the share of cycling and pedestrian traffic for all journeys in Germany from the current 33% to 43%

For that, 36% of short car journeys have to be shifted

This would result (in 2020) in CO2 savings of 4.2 million tonnes

If 50 % were successfully shifted, 5.8 million tonnes of CO2

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Fig. 6: Potential emissions reductions on trips up to 5 kilometres for the year 2020 which can be achieved if people switch to cycling or walking instead of using private vehicles. (Verron/Erdmenger/Malow 2009)

Promoting electric bicycles

Electrically-powered bikes (“Pedelecs”) allow people to travel comfortable as far as 25 kilometres

Pedelecs have an electric motor that supports the cyclist

Pedelecs help to climb hills, embark on long-distance journeys and ride into headwinds

An e-bike emits between 4 and 14 grams of CO2 per kilometre

In comparison, a car driver produces 140 grams12

Electric bicycles, so called pedelecs

Promoting traffic reducing urban development

The rediscovery and promotion of travel destinations close to home has become an aim of urban development

Urban density and high-quality public spaces are a tradition in European cities

Therefore, the integration of urban and transport development is an explicit aim at all administrative levels (“Leipzig-Charta”)

The realization of this aim is closely linked to cycling policy

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New „Französisches Viertel“ in Tübingen

Conclusion

1. Cycling offers the possibility of zero-emissions everyday mobility and replaces fossil fuel driven vehicles

2. Cycling enhances the attractiveness of urban areas, creates a new structure of local mobility and, in doing so, eliminates traffic

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Promoting cycling has the capacity to further climate protection in two ways:

Conclusion

Hence, different strategies can contribute to the sustainable support of bicycle use and climate friendly urban mobility

Traffic reduction, e.g. through the development of dense urban neighbourhoods

Comprehensive approaches to influence people’s mobility patterns: ‘Mobility Management’

Consistent support of climate friendly modes of transport like the bicycle

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Links, sources and information

BMBVS – Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (2007): LEIPZIG-CHARTA zur nachhaltigen europäischen Stadt, www.bmvbs.de/Anlage/original_1003796/Leipzig-Charta-zur-nachhaltigen-europaeischen-Stadt-Angenommen-am-24.pdf

Bracher, Tilman (2009) (ed.): Klimaschutz im Stadtverkehr: 40 % CO2 – (k)ein Problem? Berlin. Difu-Impulse

UBA - Federal Environmental Agency (2009): Daten zum Verkehr. Ausgabe 2009. Dessau, www.umweltdaten.de/publikationen/fpdf-l/3880.pdf

Verron, Hedwig / Erdmenger, Christoph / Malow, Marion (2009): Einführung: Klimaschutz im Stadtverkehr. Klimaproblematik und Klimaschutzziele. In: Bracher (2009)

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Imprint Publisher: German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) gGmbH, Zimmerstraße 13–15, 10969 Berlin, Department Mobility and Infrastructure, Editors: Tobias Mettenberger, Jörg Thiemann-Linden, cycling-expertise@difu.de, forschung-radverkehr@difu.de