Climate neutrality in cycling climate

Climate neutrality has always been, and continues to be, very important to us. Our bicycles are a small contribution to the larger task of counteracting the effects of climate change. It seems no one in their right mind anymore disputes that climate change is inevitable. Unless, of course, we start producing and using energy differently. We can imagine that the effects of global warming could be very severe for our generation (and certainly for our children). Without conjuring up catastrophic visions. Poland is not an island, and like others, we must radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The priorities of the new European Union budget will be a strong motivation for us. The energy mix will be a significant constraint. We rely more heavily on the extraction and combustion of hard coal and lignite than other economies. Nevertheless, achieving climate neutrality as quickly as possible is essential.

Knowledge first

At Antymateria, we have decided to support the preparation and publication of the report "Poland's Path to Climate Neutrality in the Energy Sector in 2050 (Renewable Energy Sources, Nuclear Power, Hydrogen)". The report was commissioned by the Przyjazny Kraj Foundation and developed by the consulting firm Alternator . The report focuses on the environment and energy, but points to the interdependence of these areas with the functioning of the entire economy. Bicycles (unfortunately) will not save the world in the context of global warming. This doesn't mean, however, that a paradigm shift regarding urban transportation is unimportant. We have already written on our blog about the fact that transportation is responsible for a significant portion of CO2 emissions and how bicycles can change this situation.

How to achieve climate neutrality?

In the conclusions of the above-mentioned report, the authors write (among other things):

• The key to 21st-century energy is energy storage, not energy generation. The state's role is to harness all technically and economically available potential. An alternative to developing energy storage is investing in costly nuclear technologies, which, as zero-emission sources, will stabilize the National Energy System despite the high share of intermittent renewable energy sources.
• The economics of energy storage must be weighed against the sharp downward trend in renewable energy generation costs. Ensuring the stability and reliability of the National Energy System in climate-neutral conditions means combining very cheap, but uncontrollable, energy from renewable sources with controllable, but very expensive, energy storage.
• There is no possibility that adopting the climate neutrality criterion, which eliminates the entire range of controllable but emission-producing energy sources from the market, will lead to to a drop in energy prices for end users.
• This is a trade-off—protecting the environment and climate at a higher price. The alternative is maintaining greenhouse gas emissions, with all the negative consequences that entails.