Cycle Paths in Southern Europe: a sustainable solution to combat pollution and boost physical Well-Being
Among the various strategies that developed countries have been implementing to contrast Climate change, the improvement of cities’ infrastructure is particularly noteworthy. Green Infrastructure (GI) solutions are particularly important in urban environments where more than 60% of the EU population lives. Indeed, GI can enhance our societies’ capacity of both mitigation and building resilience against Climate change.
GI features deliver health-related benefits, such as clean air, better water quality and reduce the spread of vector-borne diseases. Moreover, implementing them in urban areas fosters a greater sense of community, strengthens the connection with voluntary actions undertaken by civil society, and helps combat social exclusion and isolation.
In Europe, in particular, governments have committed themselves to implementing concrete green strategies aimed to improving the quality of inhabitants life while also combating climate change, ensuring a more sustainable future. Among these strategies, the most common are: increasing the number of green areas; restoring wetlands and floodplains; supporting alternatives to the traditional “grey infrastructures”; improving the energy performance of buildings; and reducing the carbon footprint of transport. To achieve this latter goal, governments aim to allocate more funds to public transportation infrastructure, along with the construction of cycle paths, encouraging people to reduce their reliance on cars. In fact, as cities across Europe work to achieve climate neutrality and improve quality of life, it is imperative that cycling remains a priority in EU sustainable mobility strategies.
According to the Global Bicycle Cities index, among the most advanced countries in the construction and use of cycle paths in the world there are the North European countries, in particular Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland. Nevertheless, at the same time the data confirm that there is still a significant gap between European countries in terms of both the quality and quantity of cycle paths. In such context, it is relevant to understand how the countries with a low developed bicycle and cycle path sectors are responding, what steps they have been taking and what their future plans are. The countries concerned are those in South part of Europe, especially Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece. Among these, we can distinguish two different tendencies: despite differences in the amount of money they are investing in improving the number and the quality of cycle paths, Spain, Italy and Portugal are mostly channelling funds to the big cities, whereas Greece to the islands. The logic behind this difference is the target they want to reach: mainly inhabitants in the first case and principally tourists in the second case.
Tourism is one of the main economic sectors in each of these countries, on average 11% of their GNP. Even so, it is crucial to adopt an integrated approach that enables a widespread development of cycle pathways that meet the necessities of both inhabitants and tourism sector. Only in this way it is possible to achieve actively environmental sustainability and socio-economic benefits.
Hence, these countries, and in particular Greece, should diversify by focusing on the region’s strengths, such as natural landscapes and the infrastructure of capital and big cities, rather than solely relying on coastal tourism. In doing so, they can potentially improve both rural and urban areas, while preserving the natural environment and promoting environmentally friendly travel, revitalizing their economies.
Spain and Italy have already begun differentiating their investments in cycling paths. Some positive examples are CiclOstrade in Bologna, a major project connecting the city’s urban and suburban areas via cycling lanes; the Superilles project in Barcelona, focused on transforming more streets into car-free zones; and in particular the services of bike sharing; the Bicycle Mobility Plan in Milan, which aim to create 750 km of cycling lanes by 2035; Valenbisi, one of the most used public bike-sharing system. These are just a few examples that can influence positively Portugal and Greece cycle pathways, which still require significant improvements.
The exchange of good practices in this sector between similar countries, such as those in south Europe who shares similar cultural heritage, economic and political situation, and climate characteristics, should be encouraged in order to promote climate-neutral, resilient, efficient, inclusive and safe mobility for all.
In conclusion, considering the current environmental situation, the EU is promoting strategies to enhance green infrastructure (GI) and nature-based solutions, which can deliver ecological, economic, and social benefits across multiple EU policy sectors. Among these infrastructures, cycle pathways provide an accessible solution that can enhance opportunities for physical activity, improve health, and foster green mobility adaptable to different cities. Furthermore, encouraging the exchange of best practices among Southern European countries, which share similar cultural, economic, political, and climate characteristics, is crucial for advancing climate-neutral, resilient, and inclusive mobility for all.
As Thomas Haddock from NetZeroCities, a European Commission initiative supporting cities in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, puts it: “Designing urban spaces that prioritize people and integrate innovative mobility solutions is crucial for a just transition. When executed thoughtfully, these efforts will lead to happier, healthier, and more resilient communities”.
Tea Lazzaretti.
References*
Chart: The World’s Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities | Statista
EUR-Lex – 52013DC0249 – EN – EUR-Lex
Milan expands cycle network | ITS International