Latin America is driving the promotion the use of bicycles as a means of transportation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating cleaner and healthier societies. Costa Rica has a progressive national policy that promotes the use of bicycles and road safety education. Here is a little more about what is happening there. Very inspiring! Enjoy! NG.
Costa Rica: leading the way with national bicycle policy
Costa Rica is driving bicycle riding and policy action in Latin America.
Costa Rica is leading the way with its national policy to promote the use of bicycles.
The country is offering tax incentives for companies that encourage their staff to use bikes. This initiative forms part of the strategy to decarbonize the country by 2050.
More and more businesses are providing exclusive parking slots, showers, and changing rooms for their employees, among other facilities.
The aim is to encourage more people to use bicycles instead of cars, which generate more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Costa Rica.
Road safety education
To further promote the use of bicycles, the government is calling for better street infrastructure and road safety education.
This education will be mandatory for all students in public and private schools. The government is also encouraging and regulating municipal systems of public bicycles. Public and private initiatives that promote the use of bicycles are already booming in Costa Rica.
BiciBus, a company that provides advice to those who want to replace their cars with bikes, is one of them. Another is the Cycle-Inclusive badge, which is granted to cycling-friendly businesses.
In addition, a team supported by both BiciBus and Cycle-Inclusive travelled 917 kilometres by bicycle from San José to Panama City to raise awareness of the role of bicycles in creating cleaner and healthier societies.
This initiative shows the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities and how they can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Making positive change
The initiatives highlighted in the UN Environment Programme report demonstrate the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities.
Costa Rica’s national policy to promote the use of bicycles, better street infrastructure, road safety education, and municipal systems of public bicycles are all effective ways to promote the use of bicycles as a means of transportation.
This report is a perfect example of how bicycles can create positive change, and this initiative is a model that other places should follow.
By encouraging the use of bicycles, communities can live better lives while creating a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.
An example for other countries
These initiatives taken in Costa Rica to promote bicycle usage are a remarkable example of how a country can take concrete steps towards decarbonization and creating a more sustainable future.
By offering tax incentives to companies that encourage bicycle use by their staff, improving street infrastructure and road safety education, and promoting public and private initiatives that support cycling, Costa Rica has set an impressive benchmark for other countries to follow.
It’s heartening to see the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities, and how they can play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
This case study from Costa Rica provides valuable lessons and inspiration for other cities and countries looking to embrace clean mobility and create healthier and more sustainable environments for their citizens.
Initial source idea for this post: UN Environment Programme
