The simplest and most important gain to reduce CO2 emissions in the short term would be to cycle the shortest distances. And if we took the habits of the Dutch, the gain would just be huge.
The title is a bit provocative, but the numbers speak for themselves. Before we even think about converting our cars to electricity to reduce CO2 emissions (compensated only after a certain mileage, due to the emissions caused by the production of the battery), there is a simple and particularly effective way which, however, would require a real collective effort. A study scientific publications by Communications Earth & Environment presupposes a series of colossal gains We could do that by simply riding the little queen astride a few times a week on very short trips.
That equals Canada’s emissions!
The study, based on the history of bicycle use and its production in the world between 1962 and 2015, explains that if western countries change the habits of the Dutch (2.6 kilometers per day and per person) would take over 686 million tons. That’s the equivalent of annual releases… from Canada! No technology in the world could achieve the same result. Even if we were a little less ambitious, if we achieved the mileage of a Dane (just over a kilometer by bike per day), the reductions would already be in the order of 414 million tons per year. Obviously, the topography of France differs greatly from Denmark or the Netherlands, with sometimes significant differences in altitude. But with e-bikes, this obstacle is easier to overcome.
Published on 08/28/2022 updated 08/28/2022
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