Copenhagen has a reputation of being perhaps the
most bicycle friendly city in the world.
As we roll forward into a super-heated world, as COP21 looms ahead and the chance at an international agreement to better realize divesting ourselves globally of the fossil fuels, I quite enjoy surrounding myself with bicycles and not driving a car anymore.
Rain, nightfall, rush hour, being dressed up or even wearing a dress... Rarely seems to slow the steady flow of bicycles.
Bicycles are a ubiquitous part of society here with an infrastructure that promotes bicycle safety and their use with wide dedicated lanes. When going to an event it will list where the nearest car parking
and bicycle parking is located.
I am told that to buy a car in Denmark you must be prepared to roughly pay 200 percent tax on it.
At a meeting in Copehangen a few days ago hosted by the French Embassy in Copenhagen, the European Parliament's Office, Nyt Europa to help educate French Citizens living in Denmark on the issues that will be raised at the climate talks at COP21 it was stressed that the actions will largely come from the bottom upward. "You cannot come to the COP without first changing in your own home." Martin Lidegaard - Former Minister of Climate, Energy and Building for Denmark
"66 percent of
citizens globally view that adapting policy for climate change will improve their quality of life." Bjørn Bedsted - Head of Danish Board of Technology International
"No climate models look good. Action is urgent - If we decide not to do anything for 25 years it will be too late. It is technologically feasible and economically viable." Dr. Jean Jouzel - IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
I am excited to have the opportunity to go to the climate talks in Paris next month...
All images ©Bennett Barthelemy 2015
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