Welcome to Climate Neutral Country”. Series of these words greet the train passengers who arrived at the Central Station København, Copenhagen, Danish, a day before the implementation of the UN Conference on climate change last week.
The opportunity to host the UN’s biggest event this year had been wasted by the Danish Government. Vision becomes “Carbon Neutral Country” continues sounded. In fact, the Governor of Copenhagen Ritt Bjerregaard to mention optimistic, Copenhagen will become the first state capital with the level of carbon neutral in 2025.
Ritt added, the COP-15 participants will see how the efforts taken by the government and society to realize that dream. Danish themselves targets become carbon neutral country in 2050. So, what efforts can be found in this city?
Transportation Transformation
Problem transportation might be an example of serious efforts to suppress Danish government carbon emissions from vehicles. Local residents use more than half of modes of public transportation and bicycles. Only a fraction of those found using private vehicles, are like cars and motorcycles. In fact, for a week in this port city, I only once found a man on a motorcycle.
According to an architect, Jan Gehl, Gehl Architects founder, 40 years ago, Copenhagen is a very crowded city full of pollution and motor vehicles. “Very complicated, pollution, and crowded with motorcycles and cars. Purchase of vehicles in this city reached 2 million units each year and the roads become smaller, especially for pedestrians, “says Geh while speaking at the World Culture panel-Future as part of a side event at COP-15 Copenhagen, Danish.
He said, this transformation occurs because one culture change in society. This is an important factor of change in Copenhagen into an orderly, orderly, and discipline it is today. Would have originated from the change in culture? “The answer is simple. If you buy lots of cars, you’ll get the car. If you buy a lot of bike, you get a bike. As I see it in 15 years, the modern culture to change the mindset of society.
At the same time, the public are invited to participate actively making big changes. In this case, according to Gehl, education becomes an important factor to realize the vision of environmentally-friendly Copenhagen “Gradually, the city (Copenhagen) managed to move forward into a place like this now than several years ago. Now there are even royalty and respect for the users of the bike, “he said.
A citizen who found Kompas.com Copenhagen, Larssen (40), admitted, over time, the number of users of bicycles and public transport in the city grew. He also did the same thing. Carrying a bike onto the train and went on bike to work. The habit of using the bike was instilled from an early age to the children.
One thing that needs to be an important record, transform the culture in society bertransportasi also be effective if supported by adequate infrastructure. If noted, Danish Government, especially Copenhagen, has provided exceptional infrastructure matures, so providing convenience for the community, whatever mode of transportation he used.
Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Hans Rat said, the convenience of public transportation services not only the physical development. “People will also feel comfortable when presented with information that allows, for example, schedules, routes, and fares. Comfort not only lies in the physical, “said Hans to Kompas.com in Climate Express train trip Brussels-Copenhagen some time ago.
Referring to the experience bertransportasi in Copenhagen, elements of physical comfort and information it has been fulfilled. In every public area, available models or pocket book that will provide guidance for anyone who would travel the country this Hans Christian Andersen. Schedule and route trains and city buses are listed in each point not far from the traffic lights or bus stops. Also at the station. Prospective passengers can see all the routes and points uruh cessation of the train so it is easy to understand. No need to fear stray, let alone lost.
Government policy support is also badly needed. Just so you know, the price of cars in the Danish practically “exorbitant”. Some people I’ve met claim to rely on bicycles and public transportation modes, such as trains and city buses. They honestly do not have a car admitted at his home. Besides reasons of expensive cars price, to get a driving license issued not a little pocket. Karen and Seigne, two citizens of Copenhagen, said, to get a driving license cost between 20,000 and 50,000 kroner, equivalent to USD 40 million-USD 100 million!
All of these integrated efforts must be consistent with the mission of government to achieve greater Copenhagen as carbon neutral city. These efforts not only the transportation sector. In various sectors, such as sewage treatment and construction of environmentally friendly building, also was encouraged. As a concept that was pioneered in the Danish property and waste management.