Copenhagen, Denmark

The City of Copenhagen is the largest city and municipality in Denmark, as well as being the capital of the country. Copenhagen is the centre of the Danish-Swedish Øresund Region and a centre of culture, business, media, and science, as indicated by several international surveys and rankings. Life science, information technology and shipping are important sectors and research and development play a major role in the city's economy. The municipality itself covers 91.3 square kilometres, and is the home of approximately 500,000 people.

Since the 1990s, Copenhagen has reduced its carbon emissions by 20 percent, and in 2009 the City Council  unanimously agreed on the Copenhagen Climate Plan. The Plan will lead the city to further 20 percent carbon reduction by 2015, and carbon neutrality by 2025. Some major focus areas of the plan include converting the energy production from coal to biomass, setting up more than 100 wind turbines both on land and offshore, energy retrofitting the existing building mass and to promote green mobility.

In its bid to become carbon neutral, the city is at the planning stage of the new urban district of Nordhavnen. Urban planners are working on implementing an energy infrastructure that provides sufficient sustainable energy to the district, energy such as geothermal energy, solar and wind energy, and sea and ground water for cooling.

Sustainablity focus: The City of Cyclists

Cycling is an area city Copenhagen has identified as a means of becoming carbon neutral and the city aims to become the most cycle-friendly city in the world. Today, one out of three Copenhageners commute by bike to work or school every day, and cyclists in Copenhagen travel 1.2 million kilometres by bike every day, the equivalent of cycling to the moon and back – twice!

The bicycle culture in Copenhagen has been continuously developing in recent years. It is strongly supported by ongoing investments in cycle tracks and routes, new cycle and pedestrian bridges, a reduced number of cyclist accidents and green waves for cyclists – where the traffic signals are programmed so that cyclists meet only green lights over a defined stretch of road.

Achievements:

• In 2006 Copenhagen Municipality received the European Environmental Management Award
• Copenhagen is a signatory of the Covenant of Mayors
• In 2009, the Monocle voted Copenhagen as “the most liveable city in the world”
• In 2009, the Siemens Green index appointed Copenhagen as “the greenest major city in Europe”

"Copenhagen is aiming to become the first carbon neutral capital in the world by 2025 as we believe in the significant role played by cities in fighting climate change. Working with ICLEI’s dedicated advocacy team broadens Copenhagen's approach, as well as strengthening the voice of cities at events such as UN Climate Change Conferences (COPs). ICLEI unites cities and together we are stronger.”

Bo Asmus Kjeldgaard,
Technical and Environmental Mayor, City of Copenhagen

ICLEI and Copenhagen: Copenhagen has been an ICLEI member since 1991. Copenhagen is a member of ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. ICLEI worked closely with the city in both 2010 and 2011 to develop and promote the City Climate Catalogue, which is the first global collection to centralise facts and figures on community climate action – from targets to achievements.


Websites: www.kk.dk/climate
www.kk.dk/cityofcyclists
www.kk.dk/english 
www.nordhavnen.dk/english