Michael Boulle- Low carbon development and improved mobility through bikes

Bicycle Empowerment Centre- BenBikes.org.za

The issue of anthropogenic climate change and its effects are well documented. Consequently, governments around the world are being put under pressure to reduce their national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Under the Copenhagen Accord South Africa has voluntarily agreed to reduce its emissions below business as usual by 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025 (Department of Environmental Affairs 2011). In an effort to achieve these targets, national, provincial and local governments have begun to implement strategies. Not only must South Africa reduce emissions but it needs to do this whilst at the same time address the development challenges of the country. Low carbon development (LCD) is a concept that has become more prominent in development discourse, and is essential for allowing development to proceed but at the same time averting a climate catastrophe and resource depletion (Mulugetta, Urban 2010).

From an energy and emissions perspective, the transport sector is one of the most important sectors to consider in Cape Town. According to (Sustainable Energy Africa, University of Cape Town 2011), in 2007 the transport sector was responsible for 50% of energy consumption and 27% of carbon emissions in Cape Town. Unlike the electricity sector, the transport sector does not currently have viable renewable energy options that could replace liquid fossil fuels as the dominant energy source. Therefore other strategies are required to address the problem. In addition, the energy and emissions intensive nature of the city’s transport sector is not the only challenge it faces. The effects of apartheid planning are still visible in the structure of South African cities today. Consequently, the access of low-income households to urban opportunities is limited, households spend a disproportionate share of their income on long commutes, and mobility of these households is below a satisfactory level (City of Cape Town 2005).

It is evident that transport in Cape Town is a significant barrier to the development of low-income communities. With informal settlements being the fastest growing part of the city this trend is set to become more pronounced and the growth in population will lead to an increase in the emissions profile of the city (Ward, Walsh 2010). In order to improve mobility of the growing low-income population of Cape Town in a way that contributes to their development and at the same time reduce emissions, significant changes in the transport sector are required.

Bicycle Empowerment Academy- BenBikes.org.za

This study aims to display the importance of LCD that is accessible to the poor and the relevance of mobility for LCD. Much of the rhetoric surrounding LCD in developing countries is about job creation. However in many cases LCD is not formulated with the poor at the centre and as a result many of the benefits and opportunities associated with LCD remain inaccessible to the poor. The research will endeavour to show the importance of bottom-up contributions for the formulation of a low carbon development path. In order to demonstrate this it will investigate the potential of bicycles and bicycle empowerment centres (BECs) in low-income communities to improve the mobility of the poor, and contribute to poverty alleviation through achieving time and money savings, increasing independence and access to urban opportunities, and creating job generating spin-offs. Lastly the study will provide recommendations for supporting the increased use of bicycles and expansion in number and scope of BECs.