Can sustainability be fun? We are at the perfect place to find that out.
Welcome to the Danish capital of Copenhagen!
So, we are here to explore exactly that, the sustainable side of Copenhagen.
For many years now, Copenhagen has been reinventing
itself through its energy supply, transportation, and climate solutions. It's a leading model
in the world for urban sustainability. And it has been recognized several times
for being the greenest city in the world.
The best eco-friendly way to sightsee here is by cycling.
Since the 1960s, urban mobility in Copenhagen has centered around biking as
a smart, safe and healthy way of getting from A to B. Today, about one in every two Copenhageners
cycles to university, work, school or the stores.
Together with Amsterdam, Copenhagen is ranked as one of the best cities in the world for bikes.
The infrastructure here makes it very easy and fun to discover the city
even for a nervous rider like myself.
It's very safe: At many intersections, cyclists have their own traffic lights.
They are even given a headstart before the cars.
It's pretty clear that on a typical main street in Copenhagen,
everyone knows exactly where they belong.
First pedestrians, then bikes, then cars.
There are still many cars on the road in the city,
but its expected there will be fewer overtime.
The new bridges around the harbor are already car-free.
If you want to use public transport, you can do so with a clear conscience.
All buses, ferries, metros and commuter trains, will run on green energy by the end of 2025.
Transportation here is already highly sustainable.
So: When visiting Copenhagen you can choose
between several eco-friendly options to move around in the city.
A popular tourist activity is to get on a boat here in Copenhagen.
But I got an even more fun and eco-friendly way to explore the harbour.
These green kayaks you can rent for free!
In return, you just have to collect some trash.
Count me in!
So I need to wear a life jacket?
It's mandatory, you need it.
So this is your kayak.
You sit here and then we put the buckets in the kayak,
so you can collect trash, all right?
All right.
And when you have finished we can measure how many kilos you collected.
I have this scale to see how many kilos of trash you succeeded with.
And how much trash do people collect on average?
Roughly 2 to 3 kilos per tour.
There's quite a lot of trash out there.
Alright, let's get started.
My goal is to collect as much trash as possible and not crash into anything.
Crazy what you'll find floating around here...
I got it.
Cleaning up the harbor and experiencing the city from the water in a relaxed way.
A pretty good combo, I think.
This experience is also available in other European cities, including
Hamburg and Berlin in Germany!
Oh my God, I am drenched.
Good job!
Yeah!
Quite heavy!
4.1 Kilos!
Nice!
Yes, nice catch!
Thank you!
Now it's time to relax and unwind in the city.
What a cool, laid-back atmosphere here.
The former working-class neighborhoods of Vesterbro and Nørrebro are famous for their trendy hangouts.
This is all part of Copenhagen's green spirit.
Improving urban life by creating public spaces, be it streets, backyards or parks.
This place is so adorable.
Don't you think?
Some places are still hidden gems, like BaneGaarden.
Over the last 50 years, these barns were left to their own devices and began to deteriorate.
The BaneGaarden project has come to their rescue.
This is the old railway district. In the sheds you see behind you
they used to store the wood for the train tracks.
They have recently been restored, gently renovated.
And now there is a food market behind us, then there is this bakery, where we had
this pastry. And a flee market every second Sunday, a little urban wood here.
So a brand new hang out in Copenhagen.
Can you guess what these huge barns were used for?
Old relics can still be found everywhere.
I am in the former meatpacking district.
It's called Kødbyen if I am pronouncing that correctly.
And it's just really cool to see the contrast here with that old architecture
and all the new businesses and startups, entrepreneurs that have been popping up here.
And, yeah, this is really cool to see.
BaneGaarden and Kødbyen are some of the top meeting points in Copenhagen.
On warm and sunny days, these places can get pretty packed.
Just like here! A public harbor in the Nordhavn district.
In Copenhagen, you're never far from the water.
People are just hanging out here on the waterfront at the harbour, it's for free. You can swimming here,
go sunbathing. They are constantly checking the water quality.
And when the water quality is good – why not? Why not go for a swim?
It's just so nice.
Having a high quality of life is part of Copenhagen's concept for sustainable living.
Following the 15-minute city concept, everyone should be able to reach a park
or recreation centre within a 15 minute walk.
Industrial areas that were long inaccessible to the public
can now be used by everyone, including this harbor.
This is the Danish Architecture Center.
Here you get a great overview of the different sustainable ideas and concepts that Copenhagen has,
to make itself fit for the future.
Energy-efficient architecture is already a reality today.
Green recreational spaces are also part of planning the city's residential areas.
This is what urban agriculture could look like.
And already under construction: A high-rise made of wood, scheduled to be completed in 2026.
Shaping the city and developing its sustainable
concepts is the job of city architect Camilla van Deurs. She is the chief strategist
of Copenhagen's green transformation.
So what are some of the main guide lines, you have to follow in terms of the new sustainable
projects that the city is planning for the future?
Copenhagen has the ambition of being climate-neutral, CO² neutral, in only two short years.
So everything we do has to revolve around lowering the C0² emissions
in our projects. Building more with wood, less with concrete, less parking garages,
thinking of the energy efficiency of buildings.
So on a wide range of efforts we have to think more sustainably.
And in terms of social sustainability in the city we also have to think about
achieving a more mixed city.
Because Copenhagen has become, as it is more and more popular,
a quite gentrified city and a very expensive city.
So today we have the mandate both from national and city government to demand
25 percent affordable public housing in all of the new projects.
And this is a way of keeping the city socialy sustainable as well.
And what are some of the climate challenges that Copenhagen is facing?
Like rising seawater for example. And what are the plans to make the city
more resilient against those challenges?
Copenhagen is challenged by water from 3 accounts. Both increasing rain, groundwater, which is rising,
and then the ocean which is also in the next hundred years going to be 1.20 meters higher
than it is now. Since we are a very flat country, dealing with rainwater is crucial to the survival
of the city. So we have 300 projects in the streets, everywhere in the city, to retain rainwater,
to keep it and to reuse it for biodiversity, more trees, green streets in the city.
Camilla has such an important job.
Other cities should follow suit and have chief architects too, don't you think?
Alright. Here goes nothing.
I'm taking the fast track back down: a 4-storey spiral slide that's 40 meters long.
Uff, that was fast.
Copenhagen is great at combining utility, sustainability and fun.
Every city needs a waste-to-energy plant. But this one is also a ski slope.
And when it comes to parking garages, check this one out. They normally occupy so much space.
But this one is also an outdoor gym and a neighborhood meeting place at the same time!
Let's take a closer look.
Now this is unexpected!
I've only ever seen boring, ugly parking garages before.
Never one like this!
I just find it so clever that the top of a parking garage has been transformed
into a place like this, where you can meet with your friends, workout, bring your kids.
It's just so clever and resourceful.
Also, when it comes to food, in Copenhagen
you'll find many sustainable and organic options in all price ranges. One of the most popular
food spots is the Reffen Street Food Market.
This street food venue has an international vibe with many, many nationalities represented.
Here, startups get a chance to try out their business ideas. And for the first three years,
they don't have to pay rent for their stalls. The results have been pretty well received.
Oh, my God.
Is it good?
That's nice.
Reffen is a very unique market. It's one of the best markets in whole Europe.
You can read here the dissentis: We are divided by nationalities, and united by the food.
I am Kurdish and I wanted to do something Kurdish.
And bring the Slimani Kebab here to Copenhagen.
And now we are here in this amazing place.
Copenhagen is a lovely city and very "multikulti", how you say in German.
And we love it here.
Reffen here is like a playground for creatives and awesome streetfood. And it's out of former
industrial areas so there is just endless opportunities to make use of the space.
And the vibes here are just so cool.
Have you noticed? All permanent stalls here
have been built out of old shipping containers. Reduce and reuse that's Reffen's mantra –
which also means reusable tableware and waste reduction.
Everything smells amazing here.
They are slightly coated with a little bit of oil and smoked chilli, then caramalised
and barbecued. They are nice and juicy and sweet and a little bit spicy.
Nice, I like it spicy.
Allright, let's try this out.
Juicy, sweet, a little bit spicy. Perfect.
In Reffen I can clearly feel the green spirit of Copenhagen.
Not only is it a place with environmentally friendly guidelines,
it's also a place that unites people of all backgrounds and ages, as well as both residents and visitors.
A positively inspiring place.
Where in the world can you hang out,
dine and go swimming in a busy harbour, cycle free through the whole city,
exercise on top of a parking garage and just see so many cool sustainable efforts?
I hope you enjoyed my trip as much as I did.
Copenhagen is truly a pioneer in urban sustainable development.