Meet the COP15 Green Team

Friday, 11 December 2009 08:36

Every effort has been made to make the conference venue Bella Center as sustainable as possible. Bins for recycling paper, plastic and organic waste are in place as well as water taps to encourage visitors to drink the Danish tap water rather than bottled water.

Mette Lise Jensen, green team coordinator, says the initiative goes further. Outside the venue bicycles are available for delegates to use to get around Copenhagen and all participants are encouraged to use their own cups and bottles for water.

“And the sustainability thinking goes further than just Bella Center, we hope people will think about using public transport, drinking tap water and recycling waste when they leave the venue as well, “ Jensen says.

In terms of the food being served at Bella Center, Denmark has chosen to guarantee a minimum of 65% organic food and beverages including fair-trade products such as coffee and tea. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, all crude materials, food and packaging has to comply with the standard requirements for mark such as Max Havelaar, the European Union Eco Lable and the Nordic Swan.

According to the Danish Ministry of Foreign affairs, Bella Center has invested 2.5 million euro in energy efficiency up to COP15 and achieved a CO2 reduction of 20 %. New windows have been fitted, there are energy saving electrical fittings in several parts of the building, new motors and fans in air-conditioning units and a new waste system.

The organizers strongly encourage all delegates to reduce their use of paper and recommend all delegates to use their own pens. The official COP15 rollerball pens, produced from 89% recycled plastic from water bottles. The organizers have also decided to not hand out gifts and so-called conference-kits with various items from the host country. Instead, the some 4 million Danish krona (540.000 euros) will be spent on climate scholarships, allowing 11 candidates from all over the world to carry out 2-year climate related master’s programmes at Danish universities.

Read more about the sustainability of COP15 here.
http://en.cop15.dk/about+cop15/going+to+cop15/sustainability/sustainability+policy