Cycling Towards a More Sustainable Future
Cycling is a healthy and inherently sustainable means of transport and leisure. This is why it should be part of all strategies to reduce carbon emissions, as it helps meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Transport accounts for one-fifth of global CO2 emissions, while the tourism industry represents 8.8% of global emissions (including direct and indirect emissions). More cycling and cycling tourism should be part of innovative approaches to make our societies more resilient and sustainable, in the present and the future.
Cycling and active travelling have numerous concrete social and economic benefits, too: they are positive for local communities, rural and urban alike, with a high return on investment for cycle route infrastructure and services. Even on longer distances and outside of cities, when mixed with public transport, cycling can be a game-changer for destination access and local mobility. And cycling brings joy to everyone, across generations.
The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2025 aims to bring together the international community to reflect and exchange ideas on common challenges, threats and opportunities related to sustainability, with a special focus on EuroVelo and cycle route networks.
Subthemes
1. Investing in cycling for sustainable economic development
The development of cycling is inevitably linked to the availability of funding and investments. As funding sources for environmental actions increase, mapping them out and improving access becomes relevant for all actors involved in the development of cycling. Cycling is a growing business that gathers interest from public and private funding, including the industry. Demonstrating return on investment is crucial: only with clear data showing measurable results can we show the positive impact of cycle routes and cycling tourism on sustainable social and economic development, as well as on the environment.
Priority topics
- Funding sources and schemes for cycling projects, including EU, national, private funding, and fundraising strategies
- Stimulating socio-economic developments connected to cycling tourism, all year long
- Measuring the economic impact of cycle routes and cycling tourism
2. Developing cycle routes to tackle climate change
Cycle routes sometimes cross fragile ecosystems. In the current environmental crisis, destination and route managers have an extra challenge: prevent and adapt to natural disasters (e.g. flooding) and extreme weather (e.g. heatwaves) while offering a high-quality experience to visitors and residents all year long. Cycling tourism has its own carbon footprint, too, with access to the destination representing the largest share. Multimodality can be a solution, but it is complex to develop at a larger scale. Is it ever possible to combine nature protection and climate change mitigation with an increase in cycling levels?
Priority topics
- Measuring and addressing the environmental impact of cycling tourism
- Resilient cycle routes and services: anticipate, manage, repair
- Mixing cycling and public transport for more sustainable travel
3. Maximising social impacts through cycling
While tourism is a key economy along the Balaton Lake, overtourism is a problem in the summer. Developing attractive cycle routes (including EuroVelo routes) and services is an innovative way to ease the pressure on towns like Balatonfüred and involve lagging areas in the tourism economy, ultimately benefitting both tourists and locals. The social aspect of cycling is also about inspiration, nudging, and actions that reduce social inequalities and promote inclusivity and the many benefits of cycling on physical and mental health. At all ages, cycling brings joy and happiness!
Priority topics
- Developing the attractiveness of lagging and rural areas with cycle routes for visitors and residents
- Overtourism and local negative perception of tourism: how can cycling be a solution?
- Inclusive cycling projects contributing to health, reducing social inequalities, connecting generations, engaging youth
