Delegates choose CO-neutral transport to get around in Copenhagen.

Marie Sauer-Johansen

The temperature in Copenhagen is just above freezing point, yet most of the 200 free bicycles parked outside the Bella Center are already rented out.

“We want to give delegates the chance to experience the Danish way of riding bikes no matter what the weather conditions are – so now delegates use the bikes to go to their hotels and to meetings in the city,” says Henrik Smedegaard Mortensen from Bicikeli.

Bicikeli is an initiative to lower CO2 emissions in Denmark and create access to healthcare in Africa. The organisation has provided 160 free bicycles to COP15. After the conference the bicycles will be re-fitted with trailers and sent to Tanzania where

they can be used to transport patients to health care centers.

The bicycles are sponsored by Ikea and will be for rent at the furniture stores’ Copenhagen branch for two years before they are shipped to Tanzania.

Local bicycle dealer Mosquito has also sponsored 20 electrical bicycles for the conference.

“Most people who come here have never tried to ride an electrical bike before, so this is a great opportunity to show them its advantages,” says John Astrup from Mosquito bicycles.

The electrical bicycles have been so popular that only one is left. But as delegates can only rent the bicycles for two days at the time, many more will have the opportunity to try this low-carbon alternative to cars and motorcycles.

“If you have an electrical bike, you tend to use it to ride longer distances than a traditional bike, because you can ride much faster with less effort than on a traditional bicycle,” says Mr. Astrup.

Source: COP 15 Blog