Copenhagen - a good place to bridge cultural divides

Copenhagen is certainly a suitable place to attempt to bridge the gap between two very different cultures regarding managing climate change. On an island where the Atlantic world meets central Europe and the progressive societies of Scandinavia, Copenhagen is where European meetings of minds have historically occurred. It is where hopefully the sensible reasoning of the inhabitants of this ancient place can be brought to bear on civilisation's greatest challenge to date.

First impressions are of a city which has got many things right. Walkable and compact, the frenzy of traffic so characteristic of Irish towns and cities is absent. Instead a plethora of bicycles, pedalled by young and old alike, crowds the streets. At deserted pedestrian crossings devoid of traffic, people will still wait religiously until the walk sign illuminates. Public transport is dominant, in part a reflection of a conscious effort on the part of the city authorities to discourage the private car by reducing the number of parking places year-on-year as viable alternatives are developed. For those attending the conference, free public transport throughout the city is provided. Only the visiting politicians cling to their heavily armoured Mercedes.

As befits a conference of this kind, the organisers have gone out of their way to make things as environmentally friendly as possible. Bottled water is discouraged in the vast Bella Centre where proceedings occur as are disposable cups and cutlery and non recycled paper. It is of course well insulated from the winter cold and fuelled by renewable energy. With a population similar to Ireland, Denmark is self sufficient in energy, largely due to its early adoption of wind technology which it subsequently exported to the world, showing that 'green jobs' are a reality in this country at least. Instead of gifts such as pens and paperweights to delegates, the Danes have set up student scholarships in climate science from the money saved.

Of course the question arises as to whether such a meeting as this is necessary. The flippant taxi driver will suggest that the 'bean eating' environmentalists will generate enough methane and the politicians enough hot air to further accelerate global warming, while the average person probably thinks everything could have been done by video conferencing or even e-mail. But unfortunately this is far from the truth. This is a 'horse trading' meeting. Negotiators are dealing in billions of euros and working to a brief which all too often stresses the current national interest and not the future wellbeing of today's children. So it is necessary to cajole and inform, to wheel and deal in person, to embarrass and inspire. This can't be done on the internet and perhaps the nearest analogy would be trying to run the Ballinasloe Horse Fair by text messages. It just wouldn't work!