Cycle4Climate partners meet in Pärnu—digging into cycling interventions
After months of virtual collaboration, the Cycle4Climate team finally came back together in person!
On February 19–20, 2025, partners gathered in Pärnu (Estonia) for a two-day workshop to fine-tune intervention plans to boost cycling in four cities: Espoo, Gävle, Pärnu, and Riga.
On our way to bringing ideas to life
Starting this spring, Cycle4Climate is rolling out three rounds of physical and social interventions designed for the specific contexts of each of our four cities to encourage more people to choose cycling for their daily commutes. During the workshop, city project experts shared their initial plans, exchanged insights with their peers, and refined their goals to align with the project’s broader vision. The cross-border brainstorming sessions proved invaluable, leading to practical ideas for enhancing the impact of planned activities.
Tackling challenges together, seeing through the eyes of (potential) cyclists
On the first workshop day, discussions focused on overcoming common challenges in promoting cycling. By pooling knowledge from different cities, the team identified shared obstacles and promising solutions, reinforcing the value of international collaboration.
Day two started with a walking tour of the Pärnu Cycle4Climate project pilot area, guided by two local residents—one an all-year cyclist, the other a potential cyclist who hasn’t yet made the switch. Hearing their perspectives firsthand provided deeper insight into both the barriers that keep people from cycling and the small factors that can encourage them to take up the habit. This real-world feedback helped bring user personas to life, strengthening the approach to nudge behaviour change.
The workshop wrapped up with discussions on joint communication efforts and the evaluation of planned interventions. The team also began shaping the Cycle4Climate Toolbox—an essential resource for cities and municipalities to adopt cycling-friendly policies and initiatives by the end of the project.
Finally, each city reviewed its planned activities to ensure they formed a unified and effective push toward making urban cycling a more accessible and attractive option for citizens.
Next stop: Cycle4Climate Forum in Espoo
With this productive workshop behind us, we are excited for the next phase of Cycle4Climate—turning plans into action and getting more people on bikes! Next time, we will meet in Espoo in March for the first-ever Cycle4Climate Forum event, where the discussions will continue.
A warm welcome to join us there, and stay tuned for updates on our progress!
