Cycling as an essential measure to achieve Europe's climate goals

Introduction

ECF proposes eight work packages and a series of activities in this 2022 work programme engineered to generate commitments and actions from EU, national, regional, and local policymakers to significantly increase cycling as a key means to enable the EU to achieve progress on its climate goals.

ECF's Role

ECF is the single best value for money for achieving the objectives and actions in this programme. As a federation of nearly 70 civil society organisations, ECF unites cycling movements in Europe as the only civil society voice at the pan-European level, and as the world's largest and best-known cyclists' advocacy association.

We can leverage the power of our members and close networks with European cities and regions, employers, academics, and civil society allies to drive the EU's ability to meet its climate goals by having cycling become a mainstream mode of transport and leisure.

Work Packages Overview

The eight work packages in this 2022 programme aim to achieve progress on including cycling in several EU policy initiatives.

Proposed Activities

It proposes activities for:

1. Encouraging EU member states to develop national cycling strategies.
2. Making improvements in urban mobility.
3. Making investments in cycling infrastructure from their climate plans.

Advocacy Efforts

We will be advocating for the inclusion of cycling infrastructure policy content in EU legislative proposals, such as:

• The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
• The revision of the TEN-T regulation.

We will harness our excellent relationships with EU policymakers to pinpoint changes that must happen at the EU, national, and local levels to incentivise people to take more cycle trips, whether for utilitarian or touristic reasons.

Conclusion

Throughout all our activities, ECF will harness its ability to reach political target audiences across Europe to show how concrete political, policy, and financial investments in cycling is a proven way to reduce road transport emissions quickly and effectively, while boosting livability, health, and cleaner air in cities.