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Introduction 2 To deal with the global energy crisis, many countries have started formulating an energy reduction policy to promote sustainable development and low carbon living. In recent years, cycling has become one of the most common and popular ways to reduce carbon footprints. The member states of the European Union have been most effective in promoting the use of bicycles among their citizens. People riding bikes can be seen almost everywhere in the cities. The success of the member states is due to their recognition that the general use of bicycles for transport can help improve people’s quality of life. Some people think that cycling is not easy to be widely promoted and accepted in Hong Kong due to our many constraints. Land shortage is considered the major obstacle. As such, it is not infrequent to witness scenes of vehicles and pedestrians competing for the use of roads. In addition, Hong Kong is in lack of well-constructed cycling tracks and networks which can be found in Japan and Taiwan for facilitating the use of bicycles by their citizens.

1. How could the promotion of cycling as a means of transport help encourage people to adopt a sustainable living style? Questions for Enquiry 2. From the perspective of improving people’s quality of life, can the advantages of using cycling as a transport mode outweigh the disadvantages of giving up other convenient transportation modes? 3. Apart from using bicycles, are there any other lifestyles which should be promoted to reduce the carbon emission from people’s transportation? 3

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Background Information Background Information  Mother Nature Network. (1 May 2014). The push to create new bike commuters, one bike lane at a time. Retrieved from tech/transportation/stories/the-push-to-create-new-bike- commuters-one-bike-lane-at-a-timehttp:// tech/transportation/stories/the-push-to-create-new-bike- commuters-one-bike-lane-at-a-time  Love Carbon Economy. (August 2009). Low carbon cycle scheme launched in London. Retrieved from rbon_economy_ltd/_low_carbon_blog/low_carbon_cycl e_scheme_launched_in_london/ rbon_economy_ltd/_low_carbon_blog/low_carbon_cycl e_scheme_launched_in_london/6875  Department for Transport, the UK Government. (July 2009). Low Carbon Transport. Retrieved from s/attachment_data/file/228897/7682.pdf s/attachment_data/file/228897/7682.pdf 5 Question for Enquiry (1) Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

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Background Information  BID. (8 July 2013). Urban Transport and Cycling: Lessons for LAC from Europe and the US. Retrieved from cycling-lessons-for-lac-from-europe-and-the-us/ cycling-lessons-for-lac-from-europe-and-the-us/  The Guardian. (29 January 2014). Cycles of Change: Three Bike-friendly European Cities with Lessons for the UK. Retrieved from rates-european-cities-lessons-for-uk rates-european-cities-lessons-for-uk  The Athlantic Cities. (15 April 2014). Will London Finally Get Serious About Air Pollution? Retrieved from serious-about-air-pollution/8882/ serious-about-air-pollution/8882/  The Star Online. (19 April, 2014). Cycling in Japan: Touring the city of Tokyo while surviving on budget meals. Retrieved from Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

1. How could the promotion of cycling as a means of transport help encourage people to adopt a sustainable living style?  Business Green. (22 April 2014). Department for Transport awards £2m to new wave of sustainable transport schemes. Retrieved from awards-gbp2m-to-new-wave-of-sustainable-transport-schemes awards-gbp2m-to-new-wave-of-sustainable-transport-schemes  European Union Academic Programme Hong Kong. (2014). Urban Cycling in Europe. Retrieved from arning%20Materials_English.pdf arning%20Materials_English.pdf  United Nations. (26 September 2013). Sustainable Transport. Retrieved from  Mother Earth News. (28 April 2014). Nation Gears Up for third Annual Bike to School Day. Retrieved from transportation/bike-to-school-day-zwfz1404zwea.aspx#axzz31U0j8b00http:// transportation/bike-to-school-day-zwfz1404zwea.aspx#axzz31U0j8b00 9 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

1. How could the promotion of cycling as a means of transport help encourage people to adopt a sustainable living style?  The Earth times. (20 April 2011). Sustainable Transport. Retrieved from issues/sustainable-transport/ issues/sustainable-transport/  Greenbiz. (26 December 2013). 10 Trends that drove sustainable transport in Retrieved from transport transport-2013  Energy live news. (9 May 2014). EU provides €420m for “green” transport in Poland. Retrieved from provides-e420m-for-green-transport-in-poland/ provides-e420m-for-green-transport-in-poland/  European Commission. (7 May 2014). The EU and Japan Acting together for Global Peace and Prosperity. Retrieved from release_STATEMENT _en.htmhttp://europa.eu/rapid/press- release_STATEMENT _en.htm 10 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

 South China Morning Post. (12 June 2013). Hong Kong takes welcome step to a sustainable future. Retrieved from china/article/ /hong-kong-takes-welcome-step-sustainable-futurehttp:// china/article/ /hong-kong-takes-welcome-step-sustainable-future  Business Insider. (29 April 2013). The 20 Most Bike-Friendly Cities in the World. Retrieved from bike-friendly-cities ?op=1http:// bike-friendly-cities ?op=1  Presto. (December 2011). Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode. Retrieved from consult.eu/uploads/tx_rupprecht/Presto_lessonslearntbrochure_EN_web.pdfhttp:// consult.eu/uploads/tx_rupprecht/Presto_lessonslearntbrochure_EN_web.pdf  JFS (Japan for Sustainability). (8 October 2009). Japan’s Environment Ministry Selects Five Areas for 2009 Low Carbon City Project. Retrieved from Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information 1. How could the promotion of cycling as a means of transport help encourage people to adopt a sustainable living style?

2. From the perspective of improving people’s quality of life, can the advantages of using cycling as a transport mode outweigh the disadvantages of giving up other convenient transportation modes?  Fleetowner. (2013). Paying more for “green” transport? Retrieved from  Green Left Weekly. (12 April 2014). Commuters want public transport, not motorways. Retrieved from  Transport and Housing Bureau. (2 November 2013). Hong Kong Moving Ahead: A transport strategy for the future. Retrieved from head_txt.htm head_txt.htm  Inhabitat. (25 September, 2013). South Korea’s Suwon City Goes Car-Free For the EcoMobility World Festival. Retrieved from ecomobility-world-festival/ ecomobility-world-festival/ 12 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

 The Standard. (30 August 2012). Cycling makes tracks with Legco runners. Retrieved from  HKSAR Press Release. (21 November 2012). “Bicycle friendly”policy. Retrieved from  Business Green. (22 April 2014). Department for Transport awards £2m to new wave of sustainable transport schemes. Retrieved from awards-gbp2m-to-new-wave-of-sustainable-transport-schemes awards-gbp2m-to-new-wave-of-sustainable-transport-schemes  Ministry of the Environment, Japan. (July 2013). Japan’s support to realize “Leapfrog” Low Carbon Development in Asian Cities. Retrieved from Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information 2. From the perspective of improving people’s quality of life, can the advantages of using cycling as a transport mode outweigh the disadvantages of giving up other convenient transportation modes?

 The Sun Daily. (11 May 2014). Chipping in for a greener city day. Retrieved from  Eco-Business. (24 April 2014). Which transport is the fairest of them all? Retrieved from them-all/ them-all/  Harrow Times. (29 April 2014). Harrow Cyclists ride together as part of London campaign. Retrieved from _London_campaign/ _London_campaign/  Taiwanease. (2012). Taiwan’s Cycling Culture. Retrieved from  Biketaiwan. (2013). Taiwan’s Bike Friendly Cities. Retrieved from Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information 2. From the perspective of improving people’s quality of life, can the advantages of using cycling as a transport mode outweigh the disadvantages of giving up other convenient transportation modes?

 Clean Air Network. (23 December 2010). Legco: Environmental Affairs Panel meeting on Pilot Green Transport Fund. Retrieved from panel-meeting-on-pilot-green-transport-fund/ panel-meeting-on-pilot-green-transport-fund/  South China Morning Post. (21 December 2010). Legislators want greens on body to vet transport trials. Retrieved from to-vet-transport-trials/ to-vet-transport-trials/  Environment Bureau, Transport & Housing Bureau, Food & Health Bureau, Development Bureau. (March 2013). A Clean Air Plan. Retrieved from Apart from using bicycles, are there any other lifestyles which should be promoted to reduce the carbon emission from people’s transportation? 15 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information

 South China Morning Post. (10 September 2013). KMB’s electric bus service gets up and humming. Retrieved from service-gets-up-and-humming/ service-gets-up-and-humming/  China Daily. (5 November 2013). Hong Kong should drive towards a sustainable tomorrow. Retrieved from 11/05/content_ htm 11/05/content_ htm  Clean Air Hong Kong. (26 February 2010). The Govt’s new environmental initiatives: yet more cases of form over substance. Retrieved from new-environmental-initiatives-yet-more-cases-of-form-over- substance/ new-environmental-initiatives-yet-more-cases-of-form-over- substance/ 16 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) ＞ More information 3. Apart from using bicycles, are there any other lifestyles which should be promoted to reduce the carbon emission from people’s transportation?

 Mother Earth News. (21 April 2014). Electric School Buses Help Reduce Fossil Fuel Emissions. Retrieved from school-bus-zb0z1404zwea.aspx#axzz31U0j8b00 school-bus-zb0z1404zwea.aspx#axzz31U0j8b00  Fleetowner. (8 May 2014). Paying more for “green” transport. Retrieved from transporthttp://fleetowner.com/blog/paying-more-green- transport  Energy live news. (19 July 2010). London buses scoop green transport award. Retrieved from green-transport-award/ green-transport-award/ 17 Question for Enquiry (1) Background Information Question for Enquiry (2) Question for Enquiry (3) 3. Apart from using bicycles, are there any other lifestyles which should be promoted to reduce the carbon emission from people’s transportation?