Climate Change in Copenhagen

The City of Copenhagen became the 100th participant of the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net), an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in February 2009.

The City of Copenhagen, which will host the crucial UN Climate Change Conference in November 2009, is world-renowned for its green politics and eco-friendly life style.

Under the vision of becoming a "climate capital of the world", Copenhagen has already cut its CO2 emissions by one-fifth since 1990 and has pledged another 20 per cent cut by 2015. The city also plans to take a "giant leap forward" as part of its Climate Action Plan expected to be endorsed in summer 2009.

Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen's Mayor for Technics and the Environment: "As the mayor of a city that has our common struggle against climate change at heart, I am pleased to see that so many cities around the world have committed themselves to strong CO2 reduction goals and joined the Climate Neutral Network. Fifty per cent of the world's population live in cities, and cities worldwide are responsible for 75 per cent of the global CO2 emissions. Hence, if nations truly want to combat climate change, cities and urban populations are their most important allies in the struggle."

Copenhagen will also play host to a 100 percent carbon-neutral music and arts festival in September. CO2PENHAGEN Festival will be run entirely on renewable energy, including two gym bike teams pedalling away to generate power for DJ extravaganza and "piezoelectricity" from dancing crowds stomping their feet on plateaus connected to LED-lighting around the dance floor. The more they dance, the brighter the lights shine.

"The dance floor visualizes the human energy and proves that you can generate energy while having fun," explain the Festival organizers.

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