COP 26: Government leaders must commit to boosting cycling levels to reduce carbon emissions and reach global climate goals quickly and effectively

Bicycle icon in green with gradient shapes behind

Update: this global campaign helped achieve a last-minute inclusion of active travel in the official COP26 Transport Declaration

The coalition of 350 organizations led by the European Cyclists' Federation achieved a significant policy breakthrough at COP26. Their global campaign helped achieve a last-minute inclusion of active travel in the official COP26 Transport Declaration on 10 November, fundamentally changing the document's scope from purely electric vehicles to a broader transport transformation.

Policy Recognition: The final paragraph of the declaration was updated to read: "We recognise that alongside the shift to zero emission vehicles, a sustainable future for road transport will require wider system transformation, including support for active travel, public and shared transport". This marked the first time walking and cycling were officially recognized in a major COP transport declaration.

Diplomatic Foundation: While the reference to active travel and public transport is a far cry from what's needed to cut transport emissions and reach climate goals, it's an important recognition that will be built upon at the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This gave cycling advocates official standing in future climate negotiations.

Policy Leverage: The inclusion broke the electric vehicle monopoly on climate transport discussions and established active travel as a legitimate, immediate climate solution alongside longer-term technological fixes. This created a policy precedent that cycling organizations could reference in national and local government discussions worldwide.

Movement Building: The coalition's open letter was first published on 2 November and called on governments at COP26 to boost global cycling levels to cut transport emissions quickly and on a massive scale. Initially signed by over 60 organisations, the letter ultimately clocked 350 signatories from all over the world, demonstrating unprecedented global coordination in cycling advocacy.

The achievement was transforming cycling from an overlooked transport mode to an officially recognized climate solution at the highest level of international diplomacy.

With thanks to Bikesy for the cycling policy analysis

Letter to governments at COP26:

World leaders must commit to boosting cycling levels to reduce carbon emissions and reach global climate goals quickly and effectively

The world needs much more cycling if we are to combat climate change. Without quicker and more determined action by governments worldwide to cut transport carbon emissions, we will be dooming present and future generations to a world that is more hostile and much less inhabitable. This is why we, the undersigned 350 organisations, strongly appeal to all governments and leaders attending the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow to commit to significantly increasing the number of people who cycle in their countries. Governments can do this by building more high-quality cycling infrastructure, integrating cycling with public transport, improving road safety and implementing policies that encourage people and businesses to replace automobile trips with bicycle trips and other modes like walking and public transport. Promoting and enabling active mobility must be a cornerstone of global, national and local strategies to meet net-zero carbon targets. Worldwide, transportation is responsible for 24% of direct CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion. Road vehicles account for nearly three quarters of transport CO₂ emissions, and these numbers are not decreasing. Aside from the unsustainable levels of CO₂ emissions that are ruining Earth’s climate, road vehicles are polluting our air at unprecedented levels, killing an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “Global Warming of 1.5 °C” special report has identified cycling as a pathway to ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future. Bicycle use produces zero emissions and cycling delivers far-reaching positive socioeconomic impacts in addition to reduced pollution. Cycling represents 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. 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 public transport can critically enhance this potential. Our world is on fire. We must urgently leverage the solutions that cycling offers by radically scaling up its use. What we need now is 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. We urge all governments and leaders at COP26 to:

  • Declare commitments to significantly boost cycling levels at home. This can be done by:

  • Promoting cycling in all its forms, including cycling tourism, sports cycling, bike sharing, riding to work or school and for exercising

  • Recognising cycling as a climate solution, establishing a clear link between how an increase in bicycle trips and a decrease in private car trips reduce CO₂ emissions

  • Creating and financing national cycling strategies and collecting data on cycling to know where improvements in infrastructure and usage can be made

  • Focusing investments on building safe and high-quality cycling infrastructure and in incentives for communities historically marginalised from cycling

  • Providing direct incentives for people and businesses to switch from automobiles to bicycles for more of their daily trips

  • Building synergies with public transport and foster combined mobility solutions for a multimodal ecosystem capable of covering all user needs without relying on a private car

  • Collectively commit to achieving a global target of higher cycling levels. More cycling in a handful of countries will not be enough to reduce global CO₂ emissions. All countries must contribute, and these efforts must be tracked at the UN level.

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. Cycling is one of the best solutions we already have to ensure our planet is habitable for all generations to come.

Signatories

The above joint letter is signed by the following 350 organisations:

The COP26 cycling letter is closed for signatures

Thank you for your support in this hugely successful campaign, which saw 350 civil society organisations from all over the world sign the letter to governments at COP26. This global campaign helped achieve a last-minute inclusion of active travel in the official COP26 Transport Declaration on 10 November. The letter is closed for signatures.

Toolkit

Want to advocate for more cycling? We have prepared a free toolkit which includes ready-to-use graphics featuring the key messages from our letter adressed to governments and leaders attending COP26.

Toolkit image

Thank you

This page is designed and managed by ECF. If you would like to learn more about our work, please visit our website. For media requests, please contact ECF's Press Officer

© European Cyclists' Federation. All rights reserved.

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