On June 3rd, the UN invited New York cyclists to join in declaring the day “World Bicycle Day” and marked it with a special event to celebrate taking to two wheels to foster sustainable development and celebrated cycling as a positive impact on climate. The UN noted that biking enhances access to education, health care and sport; and the synergy between the bicycle and the cyclist raises a more intimate and immediate awareness of the local environment.
According to the UN Environment Programme, even though the benefits of investing in pedestrians and cyclists can “save lives, help protect the environment and support poverty reduction”, the mobility needs of people who walk and cycle, mostly urban dwellers, “continue to be overlooked”.
“The price paid for mobility is too high, especially because proven, low-cost and achievable solutions exist”, underscores UNEP’s Share the Road Programme Annual Report 2018. “No-one should die walking or cycling to work or school”.
The Programme continues to advocate for action, working with countries around the world to prioritize the needs of pedestrians and cyclists – a critical part of the mobility solution for helping cities break the link between population growth and increased emissions, and to improve air quality and road safety.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), safe infrastructure for walking and cycling is also a pathway to greater health equity for the poorest urban dwellers, by providing transport “while reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and even death”.
Bicycle As A Tool For Sustainable Development and Climate Change Mitigation
Celebrations at the event marked the day with a special outdoor event, which General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa observed comes “at a crucial time” as there are only 11 years left “to avoid the worst impacts of climate change”.
With 2030 marking the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she encouraged support for new technologies, adding that “we must also ensure we are harnessing existing tools, such as the bicycle”.
“From reducing transport emissions and road deaths to tackling obesity and noncommunicable diseases, improving rural connectivity and empowering women and girls, bicycles can make a crucial contribution”, she stated.
The ambassador also noted that transport is the third-largest source of CO2, Ms. Espinosa cited studies showing that if just 10 per cent of city journeys were taken by bike, urban transport emissions would fall by 7 per cent.
“It would also contribute to reducing air pollution – the theme for this year’s World Environment Day – helping to save the lives of some 7 million people a year”, she pointed out. “And I suspect there would be a significant boost – to the economy and to more peaceful societies – if people were not gridlocked in traffic.”
“So, we must do more to integrate bicycles into urban and rural planning, infrastructure and design”, she urged. “And we must invest in education to promote the multiple benefits of cycling”.
Here are a few things that World Bicycle Day encourages:
- Member States to consider the bicycle in cross-cutting development strategies, including in international, regional, national and subnational development policies and programmes.
- Member States to improve road safety and integrate it into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design.
- Everyone to use the bicycle to foster sustainable development, strengthen education, promote health and facilitate social inclusion and a culture of peace.
- Member States to promote the bicycle throughout society and welcome welcomes initiatives to organize bicycle rides at the national and local levels as a means of strengthening physical and mental health and well-being and developing a culture of cycling in society.
Team Novo Nordisk
The first ever diabetes pro cycling team, Team Novo Nordisk, teamed up with the United Nations to host the event to celebrate and advocate for the global diabetes community on World Bicycle Day. Included in key note speakers from the United Nations, Phil Southerland CEO of Team Novo Nordisk, founder of World Bicycle Day Leszek Sibilski, as well as Brais Dacal and Becky Furuta, two of the pro cyclists whom discussed their personal journeys with diabetes. The event was co-organized by Canada, Bahrain, India, Indonesia, Liechtenstein and Turkmenistan and included an interactive portion including virtual bike tours for attendees to test out team bikes for themselves.
During speeches at the event, Phil Southerland, CEO and co-founder of Team Novo Nordisk, an American global all-diabetes sports team of cyclists, triathletes and runners, shared its mission to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes.
At just seven months old, Mr. Southerland was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Living in Tallahassee Florida, his parents were told that he would be dead or blind by age 25. Fortunately, at 12 years-old he discovered bicycling.
While helping a friend in college to manage his own type 1 diabetes, Mr. Southerland realized the value of using the bike as a means to “show the world that exercise is the billion-dollar drug that never gets prescribed, and it’s a big step that the UN is using the bike as part of its strategy to achieve success with its Sustainable Development Goals.”
Southerland concluded the event with a call to action. He requested the global leaders help mobilize funding so that all governments had the resources available to allow for equal access to care.
For me this, this event marked a big win for many cycling advocates and sustainable transit/planners. While many of us think everyday is World Bicycle Day, a public day to raise awareness around the link between our health and environment is key to making our cities more green and bike friendly for us all.
Thank you Team Novo Nordisk for the invite and event!