Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: cop15


The UN Climate Conference is just around the corner. The rush hour on the bike lanes is going to be nothing compared to the rushing around in the entire city. 12,000-15,000 delegates are expected, along with the dilly-dalliers [a.k.a. politicans and ’leaders’] as well as around 40,000 people from NGO’s, activists and journalists.It’s going to be mad. Mad, I say.I’m looking at a busy time. A long line of interviews with people who seem to think that Denmark’s Bicycle Ambassador might have something interesting to say… :-) When you’re basically the only person promoting cycling positively in this country, it’s great to be able to have a say.

In addition I'm pulling my film industry experience out of the drawer and working as a media advisor for journalists and news crews who need to figure out what to cover while in country apart from the conference.

Bicycle-wise there are many events happening. is one I wrote about recently and there some more I'll write about shortly.

One event I'm looking forward to is the awards ceremony for Copenhagen's new bike share system design competition on the 10th of December at 15:00.

I'm scheduled to be the host for the event - basically because there's free canapés, cava and radler bier - but it's going to be thrilling to see which projects have won. My business partner in Copenhagenize Consulting, Troels, is on the jury and the bastard won't reveal a THING! Nothing. Nada. Ingenting. You can bet I'll be taking that issue up at our next meeting.

If you're a member of the press and wish to attend the Awards Ceremony for the bike share system design competition there are limited spaces available. Send me an email, which you can find on the right column under Comments? Links worth sharing?

I hate to admit it but it's tough to be optimistic about the Climate Conference. I choose to do what I know best - promoting cycling positively. One thing that gets my goat is the commercialization of Green. The profiteering. Coca Cola has posters all over town at the moment declaring their commitment to Hopenhagen. Here's their campaign, complete with a Facebook group. Feel free to roll your eyes.

Meanwhile, the bicycles roll on. An effective, very visible and human-powered solution to a lot of problems. Let's hope all the visitors to Copenhagen behold the vast numbers of cycling citizens in the world's cycling capital and realise that there is a [partial] solution right there in front of them.


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