3 June is World Bicycle Day

Today, 3 June 2022, is World Bicycle Day, which celebrates how increasing the number of times we cycle benefits us all in a number of ways. First, cycling provides us with the opportunity for physical activity of moderate intensity. The more we are active, the more we improve our overall health, including our cardiovascular and muscular strength.

Second, if we use bicycles for journeys for which we would usually use carbon-intensive transport, especially personal transport such as cars, then we are reducing the number of cars on the road. Fewer cars mean fewer emissions and safer roads. This also means that the air we breathe is better for our respiratory systems whilst also allowing us to live more sustainable lives and reduce our impact on the planet.

Whilst modernising our mobility does entail technological advancements in our transport systems, advancing the use of cycling, a basic mode of transport that has been in use for the last two centuries, also brings great opportunity in achieving our sustainability goals. Pedestrianising our city centres has become more and more popular, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities such as Barcelona in Spain and the French city of Grenoble have already begun introducing policies to promote cycling and walking. These can include repurposing roads, creating cycle highways, providing safe places to store bicycles and even introducing programmes to provide subsidies for purchasing bicycles.

To acknowledge the importance of cycling, the UN General Assembly declared the 3 June to be World Bicycle Day. The day is meant to encourage people to think more about their ability to cycle, to think of initiatives to promote cycling in society and to generally educate people on the aforementioned benefits of cycling, both to ourselves and to society as a whole.

The original article was posted on the UN website.