Transportation is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions across the EU. Contrary to the progress made in other sectors, greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation have remained fairly stable in the Nordic Region since 1990, with Denmark, Norway, and Iceland recording an increase in road transport emissions. To reverse this trend, many governments have developed strong reduction targets and the EU has developed actions for the emissions trading system and shifting to zero-emission vehicles. However, the Nordic countries are simultaneously facing other major challenges—like social polarisation, injustice, public health issues, loneliness, and spatial inequalities—that threaten the holistic sustainability of the region. Therefore, policy and planning efforts need to focus on identifying the root problems, which may be more systemic and call for different kinds of solutions. While the green transition will not be “self-driven,” it will not be driven by an electric car either—at least not on its own. In this policy brief, we show how the bicycle—in combination with thoughtful planning and governance practices—can contribute with concrete and cost-effective solutions to many of today’s desperate environmental, social, and economic concerns.
Since 2023, Nordregio and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) have been working with a network of capital cities and regional authorities in the Nordic Region. This Nordic Cycle Power Network includes around 50 civil servants, such as traffic analysts, cycling strategists, and project managers. Through a series of knowledge-sharing workshops and study visits, the practitioners have discussed key issues for cycling in the Nordic Region and gathered insights on tools and initiatives to adapt and apply in their own contexts. The project has also involved desk research on national cycling goals and policy instruments, and a review of recent reports and studies on cycling in relation to emissions, safety, equity, economics, and urban and regional transport practices.
This publication is a culmination of the challenges, lessons learned, and good practices of cycling in the capital cities and regions of the Nordic countries. Derived from the research and discussions among network participants, this publication highlights eight common myths about the role of the bicycle as a mode of transport in the Nordic Region. Each myth is followed by an evidence-based rebuttal, confronting the inaccurate claims and uprooting the underlying problem. After each reality statement, we provide suggestions and good practices, based on both desk research and contributions from practitioners in the Nordic Cycle Power Network.
With this brief, we hope to provide a constructive contribution to the discussion on sustainable transport, moving beyond black-and-white dichotomies or one-size-fits-all solutions. We recognise that the bicycle is not a silver bullet solution to the problems facing Nordic cities and regions today; however, planning with the bicycle in mind is one pathway for rethinking the built environment and our mobility in and through it. Based on the lessons learned from Nordic capital cities and regions, we provide practical knowledge and suggestions for traffic planners, strategists, and project managers working with questions of sustainable transport in urban, rural, and regional planning. The suggestions are also highly relevant for policymakers from various levels of governance—especially those in transport, environment, health, and business sectors.