Tour de Paris

Welcome to the Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that’s more exciting than an unicycling elephant on a tightrope. Today we’re pedalling through the landscape of transportation - and there’s a lot to talk about so saddle up!

A bicycle for the mind

Transportation makes up roughly a quarter of all energy-related CO2 emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities. The easy solution to this problem? Switch to greener options. There’s a problem though. The Strawman gets tired. I’ll be honest, I’m that friend that calls an Uber when something’s more than 20 minutes away (ok really that number is 10 but let me be).

Luckily, there’s been a solution that’s been around for the last 200 years that solves this - that’s right ladies and gentleman, I present to you the bicycle.

Bicycles used to be the most efficient method of transporting humans from A to B - and damn, we humans get through the alphabet on a daily basis with all this moving around. Steve Jobs once famously said he wanted the Mac to be the equivalent of a Bicycle for the Mind - now that’s marketing.

Scoot over, there’s a new kid in town

Around 5 years ago a new contender came into town. And when you come at the king, you better not miss. Electric scooters stole the show as the most efficient method of transporting humans around - according to some analysts, they’re ~6x more efficient than traditional bikes (shown as E-kick in the graph below)

Now efficiency is all well and good, but the fact is most cities aren’t built for these e-scooters. Without the lights and safety of a good cyclist they can’t drive on the roads, and driving on pavements puts pedestrians at risk - leaving e-scooters in a bit of a pickle.

Paris: the city of pickles

Ah, Paris, the city of love, lights, and… e-scooters? The city has recently found itself in a heated debate over the presence of e-scooters on its streets. It’s a tale as old as the 2020s. While some argue they're an eco-friendly alternative to cars or public transport during strikes, others see them as a menace to both pedestrians and traffic. As we speak, Parisians are preparing for an April 2nd referendum on whether to ban rental e-scooters altogether.

This controversy highlights the growing pains cities face as they seek greener transport options. With rapidly changing urban landscapes, the role of governments in enabling efficient transport methods becomes crucial, as demonstrated by Paris's cycling infrastructure and the city's push for greener transportation.

That's a wrap for today - if you enjoyed this newsletter, channel your inner friend that has an extra helmet when you go cycling. Why not share it with a friend?

The Strawman