Cycle4Climate: Co-creating Sustainable Cycling Solutions for Reducing CO2 Emissions in Central Baltic Region

Cycle4Climate is an innovative project that aims to promote sustainable mobility solutions in urban areas to reduce CO2 emissions, focusing on promoting bicycle mobility solutions. The project will be implemented in four mid-sized cities in the Central Baltic Region: Gävle, Espoo, Pärnu, and Riga, with the support of three universities. The cities are already trying to reduce carbon emissions by promoting active transportation such as walking and biking and reducing the use of motorized vehicles. Gävle and Espoo are participating in the 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 initiative in the EU, with the common goal of achieving carbon neutrality in transportation within the program period (2021-2027). Cycle4Climate aims to leverage this initiative to create synergies and provide policy recommendations on sustainability and mobility measures, specifically focusing on measures that promote cycling. Therefore, the project aims to analyze the impact of ongoing city interventions and interventions implemented during the project duration. Mixed-method travel surveys will be implemented to monitor the effect of the interventions. The project will then provide evidence-based policy recommendations for the city partners. Social marketing will be used to generate awareness and promote the benefits of cycling as an alternative to using cars. This includes techniques such as advertising campaigns, social media outreach, and community engagement events to promote the use of bicycles for transportation. The goal is to create a positive shift in peopleapos;s attitudes and behaviours towards cycling, ultimately leading to reduced carbon emissions and improved overall urban mobility.