Copenhagen CO2 neutral in 2025

Copenhagen is to be the world's first CO2 neutral capital in 2025. That is according to the climate strategy of the Municipality of Copenhagen. Great efforts lie ahead for both city and citizens, but Copenhagen is well on its way.

Ecology, environment and sustainability are of concern to both consumers, retailers and politicians in Copenhagen. As the host city for the UN Climate Change Conference in 2009 Copenhagen is a forerunner in the fight against greenhouse gases and global warming.

The municipality has a plan to reduce Copenhagen's total CO2 emissions by 20 percent from 2005 - 2015 and make it the world's first CO2 neutral capital by 2025. The city is already well underway.

Decline in Copenhagen's CO2 emissions

Copenhagen's CO2 emissions have been significantly reduced since 1990. Today the average Copenhagener emits 4.9 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is 1.5 tonnes less than 15 years ago, representing a decrease of 25 percent since 1990. This is mainly due to the transition from heating with oil and coal to natural gas.

In comparison, the average Dane in the rest of the country emits 9.9 tonnes of CO2 per year, while Americans top the list with 19 tonnes of CO2 per person per year.

In order to reduce CO2 emissions further, the strategy is to lead more green energy into Copenhagen. It is the municipality's plan to build 14 new windmills in Copenhagen harbour. The first should be spinning as early as in 2012. The hope is also to build transnational windmill parks.

Bike city

In 2007 Copenhagen was appointed by the International Cycling Union (UCI) to be the world's first Bike City - the city will bear the title until 2011, and it has already brought great cycling events to the capital. However, it is the city's policy that Copenhagen will continue to be the world's leading bicycle city, even when the title is passed.

37 percent of the commuters going to work or school in Copenhagen take their bicycle. The ambition is that it will be 50 percent in 2015. For Copenhageners the number is already 55 percent. Copenhagen has more than 300 kilometers of bicycle lanes, in which Copenhageners cycle 1.2 million kilometers a day. The popular city bikes also makes it possible for you as a tourist to get around on two wheels.

Besides bikes, in 2009 the City of Copenhagen, in cooperation with supplier Movia, put buses on batteries on the street, the socalled CityCircle buses. The buses have their batteries charged during the night and run all day on the rechargeable batteries in the inner city. The CityCircle line is number 11.

Record holder in organic purchases

No other capital in the world reaches Copenhagen's level of purchasing and consuming organic foodstuffs, which emit less CO2. 51 percent of food consumption in the city's public institution is organic, and the private consumption of organic products is 23 percent, which is a world record. The political plan aims at making organic food products reach a level of 20 percent of the total food consumption.

Clean water and green parks

The popular harbour baths, which have opened by the shopping mall Fisketorvet and at Islands Brygge, bear witness to the very fine quality of the water in Copenhagen Harbour. The water today is so clean that there is no health risk involved in going for a swim. This is quite unusual for a large city.

Copenhagen today has many green parks, but the plan is to create even more breathing holes in the city in the future. Future weather forecasts threaten higher temperatures and more precipitation. In this regard green areas are important because they provide shade and take up rainwater.

The municipality's climate strategy is to plant 14 so-called pocket parks (small green parks close to the streets) and 3,000 trees by 2015.

Waste and Recycling

One of the best waste handling systems in the world is found in Copenhagen. Approximately 90 percent of all construction waste is recycled, and 75 percent of all household refuse is incinerated. The energy resulting from this incineration is used for heating and electricity, so nothing is wasted.

CLIMATE+

A growing number of companies and retailers in Copenhagen have been labeled CLIMATE+. That means they are members of a network that works to reduce their impact on the climate. The network works with climate-friendly solutions, and members receive climate advice from Copenhagen Energy and Grønne Erhverv (Green Business).

To become a CLIMATE+ business, companies are required to commit to a climate strategy. At CLIMATE+'s website you can find a list and map of CLIMATE+ restaurants in Copenhagen. 

Watch film about Green Copenhagen

Municipality of Copenhagen

Climate+