Copenhagen's Strategies For Lowering Air Pollution Levels

Copenhagen, Denmark's capital and largest city, has taken several measures to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. The city has set a target to become carbon-neutral by 2025, aiming to generate more renewable energy than it consumes. Copenhagen has already made significant progress by reducing its emissions by 42% from 2005 levels, primarily by transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable sources for heat and electricity generation. The city has also actively promoted its bicycle culture, with an impressive 43% of residents commuting by bike, and has substantially reduced the number of cars, particularly those with high emissions. Additionally, Copenhagen has invested in wind turbines and implemented projects like Thrive Zone Amager to create protected outdoor spaces for residents while reducing air pollution.

Electric or hydrogen-powered municipal fleet

Copenhagen has been recognised as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. The city has implemented a range of measures to improve air quality, including promoting sustainable mobility and reducing local emissions. A key part of this strategy has been the transition to electric or hydrogen-powered municipal fleets.

In 2015, Copenhagen achieved its target of making all public cars in its municipal fleet electric or hydrogen-powered. This was part of the city's climate plan, which aims to achieve a complete transformation to electricity, hydrogen, or biofuels. The city has also set a target of having 50% of all commuting journeys happen by bicycle.

The transition to electric or hydrogen-powered municipal fleets has involved a range of initiatives. For example, the city collaborated with the Copenhagen district and the Danish Energy Agency to help smaller municipalities fulfil their public procurement duties. Through joint purchasing agreements, Copenhagen helped 22 other municipalities acquire electric cars, with over 500 electric cars purchased over four years.

The city's Technical and Environmental Administration plays a crucial role in overseeing the municipality's fleet of vehicles and machines. David Marc Gurewitsch, who works in this department, has been instrumental in realising the city's climate and environmental ambitions. Up to 90% of the municipality's 270 passenger cars are now powered by electricity, and the city continues to purchase electric cars even after reaching its target.

The transition to electric or hydrogen-powered municipal fleets has been a challenging process. One issue has been the range of electric vehicles, with the city struggling to cover the last 10% of its driving needs with electric cars. However, new models entering the market from manufacturers like KIA are expected to solve this problem soon.

Another challenge has been the higher cost of alternative propulsion vehicles. Electric or hydrogen-powered cars, machines, and heavy-duty vehicles often cost twice as much as their diesel counterparts. However, prices are following a downward trend, and the city is committed to continuing the transition as prices become more attractive.

In addition to passenger cars, Copenhagen is also working on converting its work vehicles and machinery, including construction machinery, vans, lorries, and garbage trucks. The city has formed a strategic cooperation with the municipalities of Oslo and Stockholm to influence the development of environmentally friendly machines and ensure they meet the needs of Nordic cities.

The city's public transport system is also undergoing an electric transformation. Copenhagen has introduced electric buses on two central routes, reducing CO2 emissions by 4,300 tons per year. The city plans to replace all diesel buses with electric, noise-free, and pollution-free alternatives by 2025, with the ultimate goal of achieving a completely green bus fleet.

Cycling culture and infrastructure

Copenhagen has been praised for its efforts to reduce air pollution by cutting down the number of cars and imposing restrictions on highly-polluting vehicles, while also promoting its bicycle culture. In 2013, the modal split showed a very low rate of car use at 29%, with 36% of people commuting by bike. The target is to have 50% of all commuting journeys happen on bicycles. To achieve this, Copenhagen has invested in its bicycle infrastructure, with busy routes already featuring three-lane bike paths.

The city's promotion of its cycling culture has been aided by its work to reduce car usage. All cars in the municipal fleet are electric or hydrogen-powered, and the city's climate plan aims to achieve a complete transformation to electricity, hydrogen or biofuels. The city has also introduced tax deductions for vehicles with high energy efficiency, such as electric cars, to incentivise a transition away from conventional petrol and diesel engines, which produce emissions that contribute to air pollution.

Copenhagen has also invested in its public transport network, with a new metro city ring scheduled to be finished in 2018, featuring a total of 17 stations in the city centre. This will put the vast majority of the city's residents within 650 metres of a station, making it easier to get around without a car.

The city's efforts to improve air quality are also focused on reducing the number of parking spaces, creating shortcuts for electric cars, buses and bicycles, and expanding and tightening environmental zones.

Green public spaces

Copenhagen has been recognised as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world, with the ambitious target of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025. The city has implemented a range of measures to reduce air pollution and improve the quality of public spaces. One such measure is the development of green public spaces.

Copenhagen has expansive urban green spaces and has expressed the ambition to have an accessible green structure of internationally leading standards. The city recognises the importance of urban vegetation in securing a high quality of life for its residents. Green spaces offer important public spaces that act as social meeting points for the city's different resident groups across ages, gender, ethnicity, and income. They also attract tourists and businesses, promote health and well-being, and reduce crime rates.

The non-profit Miljøpunkt Amager (MPA) has taken an innovative approach to creating green public spaces in the city. Using environment and climate data, MPA designed and implemented a project called Thrive Zone Amager (TZA) in the Ørestad district of the city. TZA installed two domes and one green wall in public urban spaces, providing citizens with alternative spaces to spend time outdoors while breathing clean air. The domes, made of polycarbonate and decorated with flowerpots and plants, attracted the attention of passers-by with their unusual shape and inviting, transparent walls. The green wall, on the other hand, was erected near a set of residential buildings to test its ability to reduce atmospheric pollutant concentrations coming from the road. The specific types of plants chosen for the wall, such as Hedera helix (common ivy) and geraniums, play a crucial role in improving air quality.

In addition to MPA's efforts, Copenhagen has also implemented other initiatives to create and maintain green public spaces. The city has a strong cycling culture, with 43% of Copenhageners commuting to work and school by bike. The city's extensive network of bicycle paths, including three-lane paths on busy routes, makes it easier for residents to choose cycling as a mode of transportation. This not only reduces air pollution but also contributes to the city's goal of increasing sustainability and improving the quality of life for citizens.

Copenhagen's commitment to creating green public spaces is evident in its efforts to involve citizens and encourage their participation. The city has high levels of citizen engagement, which enables it to work on participatory and inclusive projects. One example is the Smart City Street Lab, which encourages citizen involvement and business development by showcasing the latest technologies and supporting partnerships between the private sector and academia. By prioritising the development and utilisation of green public spaces, Copenhagen is taking a holistic approach to reducing air pollution and creating a more sustainable and liveable city.

Air quality monitoring

Copenhagen has taken several steps to monitor and improve its air quality. The city has set a target to become carbon-neutral by 2025, and its efforts to improve air quality have been recognised, with Copenhagen ranking second in a survey of 23 major European cities by Friends of the Earth Germany.

One of the city's most notable initiatives is Project Air View, a collaboration between the City of Copenhagen and Google. This project involves using Google Street View vehicles equipped with scientific instruments to measure air quality at the street level. The vehicles measure nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ultrafine particulate matter. The data collected helps create detailed maps of hyperlocal, block-by-block emissions and particle pollution, which are shared with scientists, the City Council, and the public.

In addition to Project Air View, Copenhagen has three stationary measuring points for air quality. The city also has a climate plan that aims to achieve a complete transformation to electricity, hydrogen, or biofuels for its vehicle fleet. As of 2013, the modal split showed a very low rate of car use (29%), with public transport at 28%, cycling at 36%, and walking at 7%. The city is also investing in new metro lines and cycling infrastructure to encourage sustainable modes of transportation.

Furthermore, Copenhagen has implemented pilots that utilise environmental data to reduce air pollution. One such project, "Thrive Zone Amager (TZA)", installed domes and green walls in certain areas to provide citizens with protected spaces to spend more time outdoors while being shielded from air pollution. These installations have helped reduce air pollution from fine particles by up to 13%.

Reducing car use

Copenhagen has implemented several measures to reduce car use and improve air quality. Here are some strategies focused on reducing car use:

Promoting Active Transportation

Copenhagen is renowned for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure, boasting over 7,000 kilometres of dedicated bike lanes and routes. The city actively promotes its bicycle culture, with 43% of residents commuting by bike. The city aims to increase this number, targeting 50% of all commuting journeys to be made by bicycle. This shift from car to bike commuting significantly reduces air pollution from vehicles.

Public Transport

Copenhagen has invested in enhancing its public transport system, including a new metro line and a new subway line. These additions to the city's transport network aim to make commuting by public transport more accessible and attractive to residents. The city also plans to have all municipal fleet cars be electric or hydrogen-powered, reducing emissions from government vehicles.

Reducing Parking Spaces

Copenhagen has proposed reducing the number of parking spaces available, making car use less convenient and encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation.

Traffic Management

The city has implemented environmental zones with strict emission requirements for trucks, buses, and vans. These zones help reduce air pollution from vehicles by ensuring that only the cleanest vehicles are allowed in certain areas.

Congestion Charges and Parking Fees

Copenhagen has considered implementing congestion charges and parking fees as economic incentives to discourage car use. These charges can encourage people to opt for more sustainable modes of transportation, reducing the number of cars on the road and, consequently, the air pollution they cause.

Car-Free Districts and Streets

The city has proposed creating car-free neighbourhoods and streets, prioritising electric cars, buses, and bicycles on certain roads. This initiative would significantly reduce vehicle emissions in those areas and provide cleaner air for residents.

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