the VOL. 12 ISSUE. 35 6-12 JULY 2020
By Shaghayegh Allahdad
COPENHAGEN
TAX DEDUCTION FOR CYCLING TO WORK?
post THE DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH
THE RISE AND FALL OF GREEN MOBILITY IN COPENHAGEN
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openhagen today exhibits a multi-modal transportation dual regime having car-oriented developments in the suburbs while in the inner-city areas, bicycling, walking, and public transportation are the dominating modes of transportation. This trend can be followed in the past six decades with three main transitions and in A new campaign launched by order to understand these trends a revision of history is needed to investigate the following questions: What kinds the Cyklistforbundet cyclists’ of transitions have occurred in urban mobility in Copenhagen? When did sustainability in transportation and urban develfederation has turned heads this opment become a priority in Copenhagen, and how was it translated into planning practice?
week by proposing that people should receive a tax deduction for cycling to work. The point is one of four on a campaign aimed at making it more attractive to hop on the old iron in Denmark. Other points include subsidising electric bicycles and reducing car speeds in urban areas.
The first transition (1950-1970)
The first transition is from a densely populated compact city, where the dominating modes of mobility were public transportation, into a city that spreads out to the north, west and southwest to less densely populated suburban neighborhoods where POLICE ANNOUNCE CAMPAIGN the car plays an increasing role in transportation. To control this exFOR SAFER CYCLING pansion a plan was produced that Recent data demonstrates that became famous as the “finger plan”, and use, and a rebirth of interest in these road-users account for a a spatial niche development. They the bicycle. This transition lasts until large proportion of the total fathe beginning of the 1990s. This petalities in traffic and how they are riod is characterized by economic also more likely to suffer a more stagnation, impoverishment of the serious injury should they not be central municipalities and gradual killed. growth of the suburbs. The decline Last year, 31 cyclists and eight in population within Copenhagen moped riders died and another municipality was translated into a 806 cyclists and 296 moped ridgrowth in the population of neighers were injured. In a number of boring municipalities. Fingerplan for greater Copenhagen.
cases, reckless behaviour on the part of the riders played an important part. Moped riders going too fast are not only putting themselves at risk but also other cyclists and pedestrians who might use the cycle paths or have to cross the road. They also create an annoying amount of noise for local residents. Some cyclists and moped riders also run red lights, cycle on the pavement and don’t take into consideration other road users. The police will also be keeping a lookout for illegally soupedup mopeds – those that have had their cylinders bored so that they can go faster than the law permits. Apart from exposing their riders and other cycle path users to risk, they can also frighten other cyclists and make an unacceptable amount of noise.
From the beginning, our goal has always been to provide people within cities a flexible and sustainable mobility alternative to car ownership while working together with cities to reduce traffic and emissions problems. For more information please visit our website: https://www.drive-now.com/dk/
expected growth to occur along a set of planned suburban train lines radiating from the center of Copenhagen. The idea was to encourage new buildings to be constructed close to the train stations in order to facilitate commuting to the central areas where new jobs would be located; the green areas between the fingers would be preserved for leisure. However not all the selected areas were suitable for development so the authorities were forced to issue construction permits for areas that were not within walking distance to the stations along the finger plan’s suburban train lines.
The second transition (1970-1990) The second transition starts in the mid-1970s in Copenhagen with stagnating growth in car ownership
The third transition (1990-2012) The third transition starts at the beginning of the 1990s, when there was renewed interest in investment in public transportation as a major driver of development in the capital city. This process produced the design and construction of Copenhagen’s metro and the new town of Ørestad. During this period, the city’s economic growth was decoupled from its physical growth. Population density increased in Copenhagen from the late 1990s, with a simultaneous transformation and redevelopment of former industrial sites within the city as well as conversion of undeveloped land into built-up areas (such as Ørestad). Since the turn of the century, lifestyle trends and demographic change favored a focus on inner-city
housing. Infrastructurally speaking, the metro was the most important change the city center experienced during this period. The first line connected the new urban areas in Ørestad and the center of Copenhagen. In 2007, the metro system was extended to the airport and plans were made to develop a cityring line. Major projects during this period include major extensions of highways, which from a sustainable
Copenhagen metro lines.
mobility perspective, the simultaneous extension and development of infrastructures such as the metro and road development has led to an overall growth in car traffic (+23%) and reduction in public transport use (–7%). The different means of public transport ended up competing for users, but car drivers barely changed their means of transportation; however, there was a positive increase in bicycle travel of 24% during the period 1995–2007.
NEW INITIATIVES: CPH 2025 CLIMATE PLAN
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n recent years, Copenhagen has followed sustainable development goals (17 SDG’s) to develop local action plans to reach UN 2030 Agenda, one of which is CPH 2012 climate plan which is the main action for becoming a city with affordable and clean energy with the vision of being green, smart and CO2 neutral city. With the CPH 2025 plan, Copenhagen has not just set an overall goal for the city, but an implemen-
tation plan for no less than 60 specific initiatives in all relevant areas of the city’s energy consumption and produc-tion. The plan consists of three implementation phases, of which the first (2013-2016) has already been completed and evaluated. The current implementation plan (2017-2020) was adopted on 25 August 2016. The City of Copenhagen is launching initiatives that, as a whole, can result in a CO2 reduction of 928,000 tonnes by 2025.
Overview of the 17 SDG’S Continues on page 2
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THE COPENHAGEN POST ONLINE THIS WEEK
FREE FERRY TO ISLANDS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS UNDER PROPOSAL
6-12 JULY 2020
A GREEN, SMART AND CARBON NEUTRAL CITY
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openhagen wants to be carbon neutral by 2025. It is a political ambition that Copenhagen must assume responsibility for the climate and show that it is possible Pedestrians and cyclists planning to travel to Danish islands to generate growth and progress in July may enjoy a free ferry ride while also reducing CO2 emissions. The CPH 2025 Climate Plan is if a government proposal gets more than a plan for climate activiapproval. The proposal is part of initiatives to save a bleeding ties. It also indicates ways in which tourism industry reeling from the authorities, universities and businesses have to collaborate. It is a Coronavirus Crisis. plan laying down the practices of Under the so-called summer package, the government pro- the municipality in its role as one of poses to offer free ferry services the country’s largest employers. Finally, it is a plan for exploiting on 47 sailing routes. Parliament the ambitions about carbon neutralwill discuss the proposal on ity as leverage for innovation, new Wednesday. “The idea is that we would like jobs and investments. To achieve carbon neutrality in to have more tourism in Denmark 2025, Copenhagen must use less over the summer and for people to come to the small islands and energy than it does today and also support the economies that are switch to green energy production. more vulnerable there,” said the Copenhagen must produce a surbusiness minister, Simon Kol- plus of green energy corresponding to these emissions. The initiatives lerup. are categorised into four themes:
TEAM FROM NORTHERN US CITY LOOKING FOR LIFESTYLE IDEAS IN COPENHAGEN City councillors and administrators from Duluth hoping to learn what makes the Danish capital is so liveable. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, large numbers of Scandinavians immigrated to northern US states like Minnesota looking for a better life. Now a delegation from Duluth in Minnesota is heading back to Copenhagen in October to find out what makes the Danish capital so liveable. Duluth city councillors and administrators will engage in a one-week intensive study tour of Copenhagen to study what they called “the ultimate mobility trifecta: walking, biking and tranport”.
COPENHAGEN BIKE SHARING SYSTEM The Copenhagen City Bike is the official urban bicycle system in the Danish metropolitan area, which is the fourth leg of the public transportation. The purpose of the system is to promote green and healthy transport as well as to reduce congestion and CO2 emissions. “We really want to break down the myths that it is the old and lazy people who ride electric bikes. It is a real alternative to a passive mode of transport - the car, ”says project manager of the Smart Mobility. For more information please visit our website and IG page: https://bycyklen.dk/ https://www.instagram.com/BYCYKLEN/
Development of CO2 emissions up to 2025
energy consumption, energy pro- goal of carbon neutrality. However, duction, green mobility and City in this edition the main focus is on Administration initiatives. green mobility actions.
Goals and initiatives
Green mobility
By 2025, Copenhagen will be carbon neutral. The City of Copenhagen also wants to help create a greener city with a substantial rate of green growth. The result of the Climate Plan will be CO2 reductions totalling 1.2 m tons. To help make the goal tangible, this Plan contains specific goals within the four themes of energy consumption, energy production, green mobility and City Administration initiatives.
Up to 2025, a series of initiatives will be launched to strengthen green mobility in Copenhagen. Particularly in connection with the further development of City of Cyclists, using new fuels in the transport sector, developing public transport and implementing Intelligent Traffic Systems and traffic information. A variety of initiatives are needed to reduce CO2 emissions and to develop Copenhagen as a metropolis. Green mobility contributes to creating a smarter city making it fast and easy to get about for Copenhageners and other users alike. This will result in relatively less congesEnergy production tion, substantial health gains and a Energy consumption dynamic city which will contribute Green mobility City administration initiatives to the growth potential of CopenNew initiatives hagen. The last importation phase in Distribution of total CO2 reductions in 2025 every project is therefore, evaluation. resulting from initiatives In the period up to 2025, there Investments in all areas are neces- will be three general evaluations sary to attain the goal. There is no of the CPH 2025 Climate Plan room for opting out. Hence a mea- where the two first are intended sure of CO2 reduction in all the four to provide input for new initiatives main areas of energy consump- and adjustments of the Plan in the tion, energy production green subsequent period. mobility and City Administration initiatives is crucial to attain the
ACTION PLAN FOR GREEN MOBILITY
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reen mobility is about making it easier, healthier and more efficient to get around in Copenhagen. It is important to create the best possible conditions for the individual road users to get to their activities, for businesses to attract employees and for goods delivery in the city to work smoothly. All this in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way. Green mobility is an essential part of the City of Copenhagen’s vision for green growth and quality of life. Copenhagen must remain one of the world’s best cities to live in, and it must be a safe and inspiring city with its unique blend of old and new buildings, green oases and people in open spaces.
years to further increase green mo- pedestrian and green mobility and bility. This package is based on five tries to a coherence journey all over themes that build upon each other: the city.
1. Urban development
The city is developed and designed in a way that makes green means “MOBILITY IN COPENHAGEN of transport the first choice. The MUST BE GREENER AND MORE example is parking standards. EFFICIENT IN ORDER TO STIMU- According to this action plan, In LATE GROWTH, CONTRIBUTE TO areas with housing only, there must A CARBON-NEUTRAL CITY AND be a minimum of one car parking TO A GOOD LIFE FOR COPENHA- space per 200 m2 and a maximum GENERS” of 1 per 100 m2, and there must be 2.5 cycle parking spaces per100 The Action Plan for Green Mobility is based on this extensive work, m2. and accounts for the investments in 2. Green means of transport infrastructure and overall measures The green transport systems are that are already on their way to Co- extended. This innitiative attemp penhageners. The action plan also to promote Copenhage as the introduces a package of new, con- world’s best cycling city with crete initiatives which can be imple- providing infrastructure for bicycle, mented within the next five to ten
3. Transport system The road network and urban spaces are adapted to smooth traffic flow.
4. Incentive The green means of transport are made more attractive by better information and incentives for choosing them. This can be achieved by smart (IT) informarion and local collaboration.
5. Innovation Development of transport technology and new concepts makes green growth possible. Planning laboratories for green mobility technologies and E-mobility as well as innovation workshops will help Copenhagen to reach this goal.
THE COPENHAGEN POST
6-12 JULY 2020
WHAT TOOLS HAVE COPENHAGEN USED TO PROMOTE GREEN MOBILITY?
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any cities have sought to increase the share of sustainable transport, and specifically travel by bicycle and walking. However, it appears that measures to foster green mobility are often implemented on an ad hoc basis, lacking strategic focus and a more profound understanding of culture. New insights can be gained from Copenhagen, Denmark, a selfdeclared City of Cyclists that has made considerable progress towards increasing the share of travel by public transport and specially bicycle, with the political goal to become the ‘‘world’s best city for bicycling’’. Three general mechanisms to achieve changes in transport behaviour are distinguished as following instruments.
Market-based instruments: Include taxes, subsidies or duties, which affect behaviour because of rising or declining costs for travel. In Copeenhagen cyclists can be carried free of charge on urban trains, representing a subsidy to cyclists. Vice versa, comparably high parking fees in the city center have existed for decades, representing a disincentive to travel by car.
Command-and-control instruments: Also referred to as hard policy, set standards for products and services as well as behaviour, affecting transport choices through urban design and land use planning, or investments in specific transport infrastructure. In Copenhagen these instruments can be divided in four different sub-categories. 1. Physical infrastructure : - 40 km of ‘‘green cycle routes’’, with another 60–70 km in planning. - 300 km of ‘‘cycle super highways’’, allowing for high speeds. - New bicycle tracks and curb ramps connecting elevated cycle tracks with roads. - Layout of tracks based on perceptions of safety.
2. Comfort and service : - Green wave for cyclists on designated routes. - Bike butlers at five metro stations that lubricate chains, pump up tires. - Options to take bikes on board s-trains for free. The Metro system allows bicycles to be taken on board outside rush hours. 3. Technology: - LED sensors that warn lorry drivers of approaching cyclists at high-risk intersections. 4. Regulation: - One way streets and limitation of parking spaces. -Norms for bicycle parking: commercial developments(0.5 parking/employee), residential(2.5 parking/ 100 m2)
Soft policy instruments: Have the objective to support decisions that are more socially desirable, generally relying on the distribution of information on more sustainable transport choices. Softpolicy measures focus on facilitating more sustainable transport behaviour through education and information. In Copenhagen Soft policy measures were found to include a wide range of campaigns to create a positive vision of Copenhagen as an Eco Metropolis, specifically addressing bicyclist concerns, individual and societal benefits, and offering participation. As the way in which the municipality communicates its policies is also the focus of the discourse analysis.
POLICY MAKING FOR SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
COLLABORATION FOR A INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
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olicy making for sustainable mobility can play a key role in solving traffic challenges. In Denmark, transport planning takes place on national, regional and municipal levels, and on each level ambitious goals with long perspectives are essential. To ensure the necessary progress towards achieving the goals, it is crucial to decide about allocation of resources, to extend the time horizon and to adjust the goals accordingly. The City of Copenhagen applies green accounts to keep track on their progress. These tools facilitate a constructive dialogue and offer valuable knowledge for qualifying decisions.
system
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN URBAN TRANSPORTATION
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olitical courage and a more holistic ap-proach to innovative solutions are required to create the necessary momentum and efficiency to keep up with future needs. The innovative projects are developed in collaboration between private companies and the municipalities creating both local growth and city development and involving the local citizens in creating a more liveable city.
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hen people travel, geographirbanisation causes increasing cal borders are crossed and problems with traffic congesmodes of transportation are of- tion leading to reduced mobility and ten combined. Danish experience rising CO2 emissions. shows that collaboration across borders and between different stakeholders can create valuable synergies resulting in greener and more liveable cities. The goal of these partnerships is to make it attractive and profitable for the private companies and big public organisations to get involved. In return they need to share knowledge and work together with each other and the city on demonstration projects where the return on investment is not here and now, but in the Copenhagen integrated public transport future.
Existing solutions can be used to test new technology, such as implementation of sensors creating
real-time data on con-gestions and air quality can help to foresee and solve concrete challenges.
In Denmark, one of the solutions to the challenges of congestion has been a focus on intermobility through an integrated transportation system where people and freights are moved effectively. Planning for the future is about planning for intermobility, combining the best qualities of various modes in the different parts of the cities. This makes it possible for people to move seamlessly between bike, bus, train, car, and metro services.
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Conclusion
THE REAL REASON BEHIND COPENHAGEN’S SUCCESS IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT This research aims to understand the Copenhagen’s success for becoming one of the cities in the world with the most efficient and effective public transport system in the world. For sure, this is not something that Copenhagen achieved in a couple of few years but it has been an effort and planning for about 60 years. Studying these historical transitions helps us to plan the most effective initiatives for the future. Copenhagen has always been on the path of following sustainable development and producing CPH Climate Plan was another step forward to become smarter and greener by promoting action plans in different categories to become carbon-neutral by 2025. This is an ambitious plan requiring longterm action, but it is realistic as Copenhagen is already well underway. In 2011, Copenhagen had reduced CO2 emissions by 21% compared to 2005. The most important part is the Copenhageners’ support of the plan and the work leading to its implementation. A carbonneutral city requires everyone to take a long look at their habits. When moving about the city, a bike and public transport must be the preferred means of transport. With the Climate Plan, the city invests in growth and quality of life: clean air, less noise, and a green city will improve everyday life for Copenhageners. The investments will secure jobs and the new solutions will create the foundation for a strong, green sector. Green mobility is one of the four goals for reaching the vision of this plan, as mobility plays a crucial role in producing CO2. The overall approach for Green mobility is efficient and green mobility which provides growth and increased quality of life and can only be achieved through extensive, joint efforts. In Copenhagen, that means being the world’s best cycling city, while also extending public transport with more metro, light rail, and fast, comfortable buses. Initiatives that are helping Copenhagen to reach its goals can be categorized into three types of tools. This is an effective way to understand the base of Copenhagen’s decision-making process by understanding the tools they have used for each goal they are planning to achieve. From my point of view, we can learn from these tools to adapt them to other locations and other cities around the world.
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THE COPENHAGEN POST
COPYRIGHT SHAGHAYEGH ALLAHDAD, 2020
6-12 JULY 2020
CONTEMPORARY CITY: DESCRIPTIONS AND PROJECTS - CITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TEACHING STAFF: PROF. ELIANA ROSA DE QUEIROZ BARBOSA TUTORS: ELENA BATUNOVA - MARCO VEDOA STUDENT: SHAGHAYEGH ALLAHDAD
This newspaper has been designed for academic purposes AUIC- SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE URBAN PLANNING CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING only and it has been inspired from the real “The Copenhagen MSC IN URBAN PLANNING AND POLICY DESIGN Post” newspaper to make it look ACADEMIC YEAR 2019/2020 real.
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