Copenhagen’s Climate-Friendly, Bike-Friendly Streets
Tens of thousands of people from nearly every nation on earth have
descended on Copenhagen this month for the UN climate summit. As the
delegates try to piece together a framework for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, they’re also absorbing lessons from one of the world’s
leading cities in sustainable transportation. In Copenhagen, fully 37
percent of commute trips are made by bike, and mode share among city
residents alone is even higher.
Copenhagen wasn’t always
such a bicycling haven. It took many years of investment in bike
infrastructure to reclaim streets from more polluting, less sustainable
modes. Last week, I was able to squeeze in a whirlwind tour with Mikael
Colville-Andersen, the bike culture evangelist behind Copenhagenize and Copenhagen Cycle Chic,
to get a taste of the city’s impressive bike network and cycling
amenities. Watch this video and see how Copenhageners flock to the
streets by bike even in December, when average temperatures hover just above freezing.
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