According to a study published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by almost 700 million tonnes each year, the equivalent of Canada's annual emissions, if everyone cycled daily like the Dutch do.
Also according to this study, a quarter of all current emissions of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, are due to the transport sector.
To make matters worse, global transport demand is expected to triple by mid-century, reports the journal Communications Earth and Environment.
Half of these emissions now come from cars whose number of sales is closely monitored.
According to an international team of researchers who compiled the world's first database of bicycle ownership and use, in 60 countries, since the early 1960s, the number of bicycles produced has exceeded that of cars in 1962. -2015.
China accounted for nearly two-thirds of the more than 123 million bicycles manufactured in 2015.
Cycling, only 5% of daily trips
In the 60 countries studied, the use of the bicycle for daily trips represented only 5% on average.
Indeed, cycling is seen more as a leisure activity, like in the United States where the number of bicycles is high but where short trips are often made by car.
According to the researchers' calculation, the world would reduce CO2 emissions by some 414 million tonnes per year if everyone cycled an average of 1.6 kilometers per day, the average daily distance of Danes.
These 414 million tonnes represent the equivalent of the annual emissions of Great Britain.
With 2.6 kilometers of journeys made by bicycle per day as in the Netherlands, emissions could be reduced by 686 million tonnes per year, not counting the benefits for health and for the improvement of air quality. .
