Coalition tells COP26 that bicycles fight climate change

A coalition of more than 60 bicycle organizations penned an open letter to the leaders of more than 120 countries attending the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) that if you want to get serious about fighting the climate crisis, get more people on bicycles and do it now.

The coalition draws attention to the need for more cycling to cut transport carbon emissions and avoid dooming present and future generations to a world that has given in to the climate emergency.

Emissions in the transport sector continue to increase, and the coalition letter notes that the transition to zero-emission cars and trucks will take decades to complete. While solutions are obvious including such things as electric cargo bikes for deliveries within cities, which are cleaner and faster.

“There is no conceivable way for governments to reduce CO₂ emissions quickly enough to avoid the worst of the climate crisis without significantly more cycling,” says Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists’ Federation. “The devastating effects of accelerating global warming should be clear to everyone, and boosting cycling levels is the best way to quickly cut carbon emissions from transport on a massive scale.”

The signatories to the open letter are calling on governments and leaders attending COP26, which is on now in Glasgow, Scotland, to declare commitments to significantly boost cycling levels at home and collectively commit to achieving a global target of higher cycling levels. The letter was sent to governments and transport ministers ahead of COP26.

“Cycling should be a cornerstone of global, national and local strategies to meet net-zero carbon targets,” says Henk Swarttouw, president of the European Cyclists’ Federation. “At COP26, governments must commit to providing the financing and legislation for safe and equitable space for cycling everywhere. Citizens are ready for the change; now our leaders need to enable it.”

Read the open letter here.

Organizations on the list include People For Bikes, UCI, and Cycling UK, which is taking part in a global day of action for climate justice at COP26 by working with campaign group Pedal on Parliament to help organize and promote Pedal on COP — enabling cyclists to join thousands of others in Glasgow on 6 November to call for climate action.

The group also projected messages of bicycles “fight climate change,” on prominent buildings around Glasgow leading up to COP26. The messages were beamed onto the Barras Market, People’s Palace, Kingston Bridge, Glasgow Green arch, and the side of the M74 yesterday evening (19 October). The images were sent around the world via social media.

It is interesting to note, according to Cycling UK, an organization that has been advocating for the humble bicycle for 140 years, that our favorite pedal-powered machine was invented just 70 miles from Glasgow by Dumfries blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839.

“It’s appropriate to shine a spotlight on cycling’s role in fighting climate change in Glasgow,” says Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns and advocacy. “This humble machine’s origins 182 years ago were just 70 miles from where the world’s leaders gather next week in Glasgow to decide the future of us all – its role in this fight should not be underestimated.”

We agree.