The true costs of our mobility choices
Environment
Learn more about the environmental benefits of cycling and its impact on the built environment, in both urban and rural settings.
Discover all 4 subjects of the thematic
1
Biking for the Planet
To limit the negative impacts of global warming as much as possible, Quebec has the objective of being carbon neutral by 2050. To do so, biking, and active transportation in general, is amongst the most efficient, sustainable and simple solutions to implement at a larger scale.
The Impacts of Climate Change are Already Here
Across the planet, the impacts of climate change are felt more and more.
Since the 1980’s, floods, snowstorms, wildfires and heat waves are increasing in intensity and will be more frequent in the upcoming decades.
To minimize as much as possible the negative impacts of global warming, governments around the world have committed themselves to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Quebec thus aims to decrease its emissions by 37.5 % compared to 1990 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Transportation, a Sector of Activity with One of the Worst Climate Record
Strongly dependent on fossil fuels and high emitting infrastructures, transportation, and especially road transportation, is a sector of activity particularly difficult but essential to decarbonize.
Responsible for over 1/3 of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Quebec, it is one of the only two sectors which increased its emissions since 1990. This situation is in complete contradiction with the carbon neutrality objectives of the province for 2050. Because cars are less and less pollutant, this increase is mainly due to the rising number of light and heavy trucks on our roads, especially SUVs, pickups and vans.
Sources: (Canada) Government of Canada (2025). Greenhouse gas emissions - (Canadian provinces and territories) Environnement and Climate Change Canada Data Catalogue, National Inventory Report 1990-2023: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks, Annex 12 - (United States of America) United States Environmental Protection Agency (2024). Fast Facts on Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions - (Europe) Ministères Territoires Écologie Logement, Panorama européen des émissions de GES - (Worldwide) GIEC report through Mallet, C. (2022). Rapport du groupe III du GIEC : que nous disent les scientifiques sur les transports ? carbone4 - (Evolution Sectors) Ministère de l'environnement, de la lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la faune et des parcs (2024) GES 1990-2022 : Inventaire québécois des émissions de gax à effet de serre en 2022 et leur évolution depuis 1990
Biking, One of the Best Low Emission Way to Get Around
Along with walking and certain types of public transportation solutions, biking is amongst the forms of transportation emitting the lowest amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs), whether it is during the fabrication process or its usage. Active transportation has therefore a huge potential for reducing quickly our emissions at a global scale.
Sources: (Graph + Bubble Bike Emissions) Calculateur montréalais de GES en mobilité (version du 3 avril 2025) by Solon, Coop Carbone and Transition en commun - (Bubble Cyclist Emissions) Brand, C., Dons, E., Anaya-Boig, E. et al. (2021). The climate change mitigation effects of daily active travel in cities. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 93
Biking, an Alternative to the Most Polluting Trips
Because of cold starts, frequent stops, low-speed driving and congestion, short trips by motorized vehicles are the ones emitting the most greenhouse gases (GHGs). Luckily, these are the easiest to replace by biking, conferring biking its tremendous potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the transportation sector.
Reduction of GHG Emissions Already Observed in Montreal
- 1.7%
from the increase of cyclists and biking network between 2008 and 2014
Potential Reduction of GHG Emissions in Montreal
- 12%
if car trips of less than 10 km were made by bike (32 % of current trips).
Potential Reduction of GHG Emissions in Quebec
- 8%
if car commuting trips of less than 10 km were made by bike.
Sources:
- (Observed reduction) Zahabi, S. A. H., Chang, A., Miranda-Moreno, L. F. and Patterson, Z. (2016). Exploring the link between the neighborhood typologies, bicycle infrastructure and commuting cycling over time and the potential impact on commuter GHG emissions. Transportation Research Part D : Transport and Environment, Volume 47
- (Potential reduction) Beaudin, G., Julien, M. and Benatia, D. (2025). Les vrais coûts de nos choix de mobilité. Observatoire du vélo
Indirect Environmental Benefits of Biking
Beyond reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) of daily trips, bike usage also has positive impacts on the spatial organization of cities and mobility, which amplifies efforts to reduce emissions.
Biking reduces, and sometimes eliminates, certain high emissions infrastructures and the carbon footprint related to their maintenance (ex.: parking, urban highways). This is also an opportunity to dedicate the space they occupy for greening, which contributes to reduce the urban heat island effect and allows more equitable land management opportunities.
Combined with public transit, biking (with a personal bike or bikeshare) can replace long distance trips that would usually be done by car. This combination can reduce even more GHG emissions. So, to pursue our climate objectives, it is important to integrate our biking networks and public transit infrastructures.
