These are just two benefits of active travel highlighted in a new report entitled Make way for walking and cycling, produced by PATH (Partnership for Active Travel and Health)*.
Below is some food for thought.
Emissions
50 billion tonnes of CO2 will be emitted by urban transport in the next 30 years if current motorisation trends are not reversed.
The transport sector is responsible for nearly a third of global Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, both directly and throughout the supply chain (fuel extraction and refining, vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure construction).
Walking and cycling are a cost-effective solution for dramatically cutting carbon and pollutant emissions on short trips, especially compared to car trips.
Currently, 60% of all urban trips are shorter than 5km, and a quarter are less than 1km, meaning they could be covered on foot or by bike. Add in electric bikes (extending distance covered to 10km) and the potential for active travel exceeds 75% of all urban trips in the world.
Fossil fuels
The transportation of people and goods is responsiblefor more than 90% of global energy consumption.
Walking and cycling require less energy than any other means of transport, and over short distances, are the most effective way to reduce fossil fuels consumption. This reduces reliance on oil products and its negative spinoffs.
Air pollution
Virtually every person on earth lives in a place where the World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines levels are not met.
Transport is a major contributor to air pollution, estimated to cause 4.2 million global premature deaths every year as well as strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases (including asthma).
More walking and cycling are a viable solution to lower emissions and improve air quality in rural and urban areas.
Health & well-being
Walking or cycling 30 minutes per working day is enough to meet the WHO minimum physical activity requirements and reduce the risk of premature death by 20-30%
About 28% of the world’s adult population is not physically active enough.Physical inactivity kills as many people as smoking – mainly dueto increased incidence of coronary heart disease,stroke, diabetes, hypertension, cancers and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
This problem is particularly acute for children andadolescents: more than 80% of boys and girls worldwideaged 11-17 are insufficiently active.
Walking and cycling also helps prevent mental healthissues such as depression and dementia.Widespread physical activity would save the globaleconomy about 300 billion Euros by 2030 in directtreatment costs, and that is without including productivity losses and other important health outcomes.
Walkable and cyclable cities
Enabling everyday walking and cycling improves the safety and protection of everyone.
A city where walking and cycling are made easier works better for everyone, in particular women, children, the elderly, those with impairments and people on low incomes.
Disabled people can take advantage of more walking and cycling in their city, as improved cycle paths and sidewalks are ideal for wheelchairs, trikes and other mobility supports.
More walking and cycling improves safety by creating the phenomenon known as “safety in numbers”: the more people on foot or on a bike, the fewer serious crashes per km travelled.
PATH joint open letter
PATH is publishing a joint open letter for COP27 asking governments and cities to commit to prioritising walking and cycling by investing more in infrastructures, campaigns, land use planning, and integration with public transport. Other non-profit organisations working in active mobility are encouraged to sign.
In line with the theme, the UCI will host an interactive event at COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, on Thursday 17 November in collaboration with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). They will share insights from the UCI Bike City Label and ITDP Cycling Cities campaign on how to create cycling cities for more resilient, sustainable and active societies. This event will be livestreamed on the UNFCCC website
* The UCI is a founding member of PATH, which is comprised of leading organisations in the sustainable mobility community. It is coordinated by a core group consisting of the FIA Foundation– who are funding the coordination work – Walk21, the European Cyclists’ Federation and the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP).