Decarbonisation is a chain reaction
Let me take you for a spin
It’s been six months since my last article, which is far too long given how happy I am to be writing about climate change again.
Since then, I’ve made a career change to focus more on writing and picked up a new hobby throughout the summer: cycling.
Climbing hills under the Spanish sun, fighting with the French wind, or mindlessly doing laps in Richmond Park have let my mind wander as I ride through nature.
One of the things that crossed my mind while riding was the emissions associated with cycling, whether it be due to the manufacturing process or events such as the Tour de France.
For the 2021 edition, it was estimated that the Tour emitted 216,388 tCO2e. To put things into perspective, 21 days of cycling events equated to the annual emissions of the Central African Republic and its population of 5.4 million.
In turn, we’ll explore the emissions from manufacturing bicycles and how to reduce these. However, it is also crucial to uncover the role that cycling plays in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
Hitting the brakes on fossil fuels
Cycling plays a key role in reducing individual carbon footprints and, more widely, decarbonising mobility.
In the UK, transport is responsible for 24% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, with passenger cars accounting for over half of the sector’s impact.
Switching out fossil-fuel-powered transportation for healthy and low-carbon bike rides is one way individuals can contribute to the transition towards Net Zero.
Totalling the emissions from manufacturing a European car and the fuel needed to power it, you get to 271g of carbon per kilometre travelled. A kilometre travelled by bike would emit 21g of carbon, which is 13 times less than a car.
Of course, not everyone can fully replace driving with cycling, especially for people living in rural areas. However, replacing a single trip per day can have a significant impact.
A study from the University of Oxford evaluates that one’s carbon emissions related to transport could be reduced by 25% with an uptake of cycling.
“We found that those who switch just one trip per day from car driving to cycling reduce their carbon footprint by about 0.5 tonnes over a year, representing a substantial share of average per capita CO2 emissions.”
Dr Christian Brand, University of Oxford
Watt is the drawback
Despite the reduction in transportation emissions and the health benefits, cycling is no silver bullet, as we must account for the emissions generated throughout the manufacturing process.
Bikes require carbon and energy-intensive materials such as aluminium, steel, rubber and carbon fibre. For electric bikes, you also have to consider the emissions from manufacturing lithium-ion batteries.
It is estimated that manufacturing an average commuter bike emits 96 kgCO2e. According to bike manufacturer Trek, making electric bikes releases an extra 65 kgCO2e. To put things into perspective, making an average small car would emit 5.5tn CO2e, and require an additional 3tn CO2e if the vehicle was electric.
Interestingly, approximately three-quarters of emissions are attributable to the food required to power cycling. That is 16 of the 21g CO2e per kilometre cycled, accounting for the average European diet. Reducing emissions from that diet is worthy of a whole separate conversation!
Beyond the materials, bikes are also shipped globally, with an estimated 99% of the 18 million bicycles sold in the United States being imported from both Taiwan and China.
Additionally, we should also be cautious of the end-of-life treatment of bicycles. 15 million bikes are thrown away every year. Although some can be repaired or given to charities for refurbishment, many end up in landfills.
Gearing up for a Net Zero future
Trek estimates that the emissions avoided through cycling rather than driving would cancel out the emissions from manufacturing the bike once you have ridden it for 692 kilometres.
However, it’s also important to evaluate how emissions can be reduced throughout the manufacturing phase and ensure that people are increasingly using bicycles for transportation. Here are some examples of what can be done at the:
Company-level:
- Increasing the share of recycled materials in bicycles, such as post-consumer plastic and aluminium. Procuring recycled aluminium can reduce by up to 95% the energy required to transform ores such as Bauxite into virgin aluminium.
- Procuring renewable energy for manufacturing facilities or producing it on-site reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and accelerates the clean energy transition.
- Grouping shipments to distributors and retailers can avoid empty miles driven by the transportation fleet while reducing emissions and costs.
Systemic-level:
- Developing bike-sharing systems in cities enables commuters to switch out their car for bikes without needing to own them.
- Investing in infrastructure such as bike paths makes it easier for people to get around and ensures they feel safe cycling in cities.
- Cycle to Work Schemes can help reduce the cost of cycling and increase the accessibility of bike ownership.
The potential for emissions reduction with cycling uptake is immense. In the US alone, 552 million tCO2e arise from passenger vehicle trips shorter than 10 km. Replacing those by 1% of cycling could reduce emissions by 5.5 million tonnes, which is greater than Nicaragua’s annual emissions.
Beyond avoiding emissions, reducing the emissions of cycling manufacturing is key and can have positive ripple effects on the decarbonisation of other industries such as mining and transportation.
More widely, cycling can raise awareness of environmental topics and hopefully, put the wheels in motion for people to take climate action in other industries or aspects of their lives.
