Climate Protection through Cycling 1 Funded by

Contents  Transport related CO 2 emissions  Promoting cycling for short-distance travel  Promoting electric bikes  Promoting traffic reducing urban development  Conclusion 2 (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? 3

Transport related CO 2 emissions  Other areas produce more CO 2 emissions than the transport sector  However the transport sector accounts for around 160 million tonnes CO 2  This are about 20%, of all annual CO 2 emissions in Germany  The average German citizen pollutes the environment with 10 tonnes of CO 2 annually  Vehicular traffic accounts for two tonnes of this pollution 4 Fig.1: CO 2 emissions in Germany Shares of different sectors (in percent).

Transport related CO 2 emissions The current balance of CO 2 emissions arising from everyday traffic in Germany clearly shows the carbon footprint it leaves: 5 Fig.2: CO 2 emissions in Germany Shares of different sectors (in percent). (Umweltbundesamt)

Transport related CO 2 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 CO 2 emissions  People who bike every day cause the lowest transport-related CO 2 emissions (after “scarcely mobile” people)  The CO 2 emissions produced by “regular users of motorized transport” is quadruple that of cyclists 6

Transport related CO 2 emissions 7 Fig.3: CO 2 emissions arising from everyday transport. Broken down into user groups. (MID 2008)

Transport related CO 2 -emissions  MID 2008 shows the daily individual CO 2 -Emissions…  …broken down according to everyday living conditions and means of travel  How much CO 2 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 8 Fig.4: Daily CO 2 emissions, broken down according to every day living 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 CO 2 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) 9

Promoting cycling for short-distance travel 10 Fig.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 CO 2 savings of 4.2 million tonnes  If 50 % were successfully shifted, 5.8 million tonnes of CO 2 11 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 CO 2 per kilometre  In comparison, a car driver produces 140 grams 12 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 13 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 14 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 15

Links, sources and information  BMBVS – Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (2007): LEIPZIG-CHARTA zur nachhaltigen europäischen Stadt, nachhaltigen-europaeischen-Stadt-Angenommen-am-24.pdf nachhaltigen-europaeischen-Stadt-Angenommen-am-24.pdf  Bracher, Tilman (2009) (ed.): Klimaschutz im Stadtverkehr: 40 % CO 2 – (k)ein Problem? Berlin. Difu-Impulse  UBA - Federal Environmental Agency (2009): Daten zum Verkehr. Ausgabe Dessau,  Verron, Hedwig / Erdmenger, Christoph / Malow, Marion (2009): Einführung: Klimaschutz im Stadtverkehr. Klimaproblematik und Klimaschutzziele. In: Bracher (2009) 16 Imprint Publisher: German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) gGmbH, Zimmerstraße 13–15, Berlin, Department Mobility and Infrastructure, Editors: Tobias Mettenberger, Jörg Thiemann-Linden,