FUGA Budapest Center of Architecture
20 November – 9 December 2013

The City of Copenhagen wants to become the first carbon neutral capital in the world by 2025. And Copenhagen is already well on its way. Providing the city with integrated transportation systems has reduced traffic congestion and pollution to levels that are extremely low compared to many other big cities. One indication of this is that the number of car trips within the central part of Copenhagen fell from 350,000 in 1970 to 284,000 in 2012.
Demonstrating Copenhagen’s many sustainable initiatives, the contribution to the World City Summit 2012, COPENHAGEN SOLUTIONS, offers inspiration to policy makers worldwide. With its extensive and efficient district heating network, bridges only for cyclists and pedestrians and an ambitious Climate Action Plan, Copenhagen is a good place to look for inspiration when it comes to creating greener cities. This is also acknowledged by the jury of the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2012, which has awarded the City of Copenhagen special mention along with five other cities.
“We are very pleased with the special mention that places Copenhagen in the same league as New York City. It’s great to get international acknowledgement for the investments we make in making Copenhagen the world’s first carbon neutral capital. I hope that we can inspire other cities,” says Pia Allerslev, Mayor of Culture and Leisure in Copenhagen.
“The special mention from the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2012 is an recognition of the fact that the City of Copenhagen is world class when it comes to sustainable urban development and strategies for green growth,” says CEO at the Danish Architecture Centre, Kent Martinussen.
At the World City Summit a partnership between the City of Copenhagen, Danish Architecture Centre and Realdania presents a wide range of initiatives and projects that are transforming Copenhagen. Among them are revitalization of old industrial areas, new urban areas full of innovative architecture and sustainable district heating and cooling.
“A cluster of Danish and international planners, architects, engineers, manufacturers, contractors, investors and the city council have turned Copenhagen into a high performing global leader within the development of systemic sustainable urban solutions and by showcasing the best solutions it is our hope that we can serve as an inspiration for other cities”, says Realdania’s CEO at Realdania, Flemming Borreskov.