Environmental organization Greenpeace reiterates the call for more protected bike lanes which it deems “essential for building better, more livable cities.”
Greenpeace on August 15-18 joined the “Share the Road” exercise to emphasize the importance of bike lanes as part of city planning.
The environmental organization joined biking advocates, supported by key government agencies, as they provided frontliners and other bikers with pop-up bike lanes along Edsa during the four-day program.
During the program, Greenpeace urged Metro Manila mayors to include protected bike lanes in comprehensive city planning.
“Bike lanes are not just for bikes and bikers, but for everyone living and working in cities,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director Yeb Saño. “With the right planning, they could provide pedestrians and commuters with safer, wider room to move even at a busy road like Edsa.”
Greenpeace earlier reported that urban planning prioritizing only motor vehicles running on fossil fuels has made cities unhealthy for ordinary citizens.
“Globally, cities account for 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a great part of it is from fossil-fueled transport. Cities that provide more opportunities for active mobility such as biking and walking will create less need for cars,” explained Saño. “This means less air pollution, and a huge opportunity for climate mitigation.”
Moreover, protected bike lanes are an important component in planning a healthier, greener design for our cities, he said.
“Imagine Metro Manila not just with bike lanes, but with more trees, more green public spaces, and more room for everyone to breathe,” said Saño. “This is what we want to see when we ask for livable cities, for a better normal beyond this pandemic.”
The “Share the Road” initiative on Edsa was the second wave of the event, which was first organized at Commonwealth Avenue by Biker’s United Marshall. The bike lanes were set up at six stations along the highway’s southbound side, from Aurora Boulevard to Magallanes.