Cities cover just two per cent of the worldB次元官网网址檚 land area, yet they account for about 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the United Nations, 59 per cent of us now live in cities; in developing countries, 81 per cent of people are urbanites. And those figures are rising every day.
Even though cities are a major source of emissions fuelling climate change, B次元官网网址渢hey are also places where the greatest efficiencies can be made,B次元官网网址� according to Joan Clos, executive director of UN-Habitat. B次元官网网址淲ith better urban planning and greater citizen participation we can make our hot cities cool again.B次元官网网址�
The benefits of doing so go beyond reducing the risk of global warming. Cities designed for humans rather than cars are better places to live, with lower pollution levels, less traffic congestion, more parks and public spaces, improved opportunities for social interaction and healthier citizens.
With longer days and blossoming trees making Vancouver brighter, my thoughts turn to the joys of bicycling.
Getting people out of cars and onto bikes wonB次元官网网址檛 solve all our climate and pollution problems, and bicycling isnB次元官网网址檛 possible for everyone, but the more people cycle, the better off weB次元官网网址檒l all be.
ItB次元官网网址檚 also a great way to stay in shape and make the commute more enjoyable B次元官网网址� and often faster.
IB次元官网网址檓 particularly excited this year as the international cycling conference Velo-city Global is being held in Vancouver June 26 to 29. The event is expected to bring together about 1,000 traffic planners, cycling advocates, architects, educators, politicians and others from around the world.
Gil Pe帽alosa, who will open and close the conference, says Vancouver has done a lot for cycling but itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渘ot great yet.B次元官网网址� Pe帽alosa, director of the Canadian non-profit organization 8-80 Cities and former commissioner of parks, sports and recreation in Bogota, Colombia, believes North American city dwellers could learn from Europeans when it comes to encouraging cycling.
B次元官网网址淓ven in Europe, a lot of the bicycle infrastructure has been done in the last 30 years. And it didnB次元官网网址檛 get there by chance,B次元官网网址� Pe帽alosa said in an interview with the European CyclistsB次元官网网址� Federation, noting that in Amsterdam, cycling infrastructure and rates increased only after active campaigning by citizens. He also said that bicycle-friendly planning can complement well-designed public transportation systems.
One of the first steps is to reduce local traffic speeds. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a real paradox,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople actually want to have 30 kilometres an hour in their own neighbourhood, but where they donB次元官网网址檛 live they want to go fast.B次元官网网址�
The next step in encouraging cycling is something Vancouver is moving toward: B次元官网网址淵ou need physically separated bike ways. And you donB次元官网网址檛 just need one separated bike path. You need a whole network,B次元官网网址� Pe帽alosa said.
The European CyclistsB次元官网网址� Federation says that providing segregated bike lanes on arterial and other busy roads in urban areas isnB次元官网网址檛 as big a task as many would expect, as these roads typically represent only about five to 10 per cent of the urban landscape.
I hope the Velo-city Global conference will get more people in Vancouver and beyond excited about cycling.
Those who ride know one of the best reasons is that itB次元官网网址檚 fun. ItB次元官网网址檚 also good for you. Regular cycling reduces the risk of a range of health problems, from obesity to heart disease to stress.
That it will also make cities more enjoyable places to live is even more reason to get on your bike whenever you can.
