Could the climate change policy include provisions for promoting and funding cycling?
Greenhouse gas emissions in other sectors decreased 15% between 1990 and 2007 but emissions from transport increased 36% during the same period.
.A wide range of EU policies to lower emissions
As greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing for most modes of transport, the EU has so far put a range of policies in place aiming to lower emissions from the sector. These include: (proposal added in red)
• aviation has been included in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS);
• a strategy is in place to reduce emissions from cars and vans, including emissions targets for new vehicles;
• a strategy for reducing heavy duty vehicle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions;
• a target is in place to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels;
• rolling resistance limits and tyre labelling requirements have been introduced and tyre pressure monitors made mandatory on new vehicles;
• legislation encouraging national authorities to deploy gas and electricity infrastructure; and,
• public authorities are required to take account of life time energy use and CO2 emissions when procuring vehicles
The list may be improved by including provisions for promoting cycling. Suggestions;
• National governments to fund cycling infrastructure with a minimum investment of transport spending to match the the percentage of travellers cycling, modal share of cycling, e.g cycling to work perhaps 3%, allocation for cycling of 3% from the total spending on transport.
Could your MEP support including a cycling provision in the Climate Change agreements?