"A right to have access to nature" - who and how is making Copenhagen greener?
There are beehives buzzing in public parks in different neighbourhoods of Copenhagen. That's only one of the examples how people of Copenhagen contribute to making the city greener.
The city of bees
The people behind the bees are workers and volunteers of an organization called Bybi. Each family of bees creates honey with a unique colour and taste.
“What's interesting about bees is that they've always been a mirror for human experience,” says Oliver Maxwell, the founder of Bybi.
Indeed, the Bybi community is experiencing the connection of people and nature in a shared space of Copenhagen. They gather to take care of the bees and harvest the honey, which they later invite others to taste it.
“We never ever use the word product. As soon as you have a product, you also make a consumer. So, honey is not a product. We call it an invitation,” explains O. Maxell.
Taking care of the bees also encourages people to take care of nature in the city.
“So, the question for us is how do the people we meet become co-creators in this community that we're part of with a joint responsibility?” asks the leader of Bybi.
What does it take to be the most liveable city in the world?
Copenhagen has been named the most liveable city in the world for two years in a row. Brian MacSharry, the head of the Group of Nature and Biodiversity at the European Environment Agency, based in Copenhagen, states that one of the reasons for that is access to green space.
“I think I'm most excited by the fact that kids go out into nature as small, tiny people. And they really begin to see that it's important to them. And you begin to take it as a right to have access to nature. Have access to healthy nature,” emphases B. MacSharry.
Who deserves nature?
Nature in Copenhagen is used for recreation: people swimming in the canals, jogging in parks and going on hikes in the forests.
However, B. MacSharry emphasises that not everyone has equal access to green spaces.
"Areas that are very rich in green spaces are wealthy neighbourhoods, and areas that are very poor tend to have less green space,” he says.
Bybi is based in Sundholmskvarteret district which is known as a poor area. The idea behind Bybi being there is intentional and it is to bring more nature and community into less wealthy neighbourhoods.
Where does Copenhagen stand?
Copenhagen rates number 6 in the top European Union capitals according to their level of environmental sustainability. To measure this, a series of environmental indicators were analysed: air pollution, noise, green spaces, sustainable buildings, and electric car charging stations.
Based on the environmental indicators that have been analysed the indicator Qi measures the environmental sustainability of EU capital cities.
From this study it seems like Copenhagen is doing well among the European capitals when it comes to sustainability.
Copenhagen rating 6 out of the European Union capitals according to their level of environmental sustainability. Data from research by Czupich et al, 2022. Visual made by Sabina Marian.
But how green is Copenhagen really?
Copenhagen is a city with a population of around 600,000 and lies in the high-density category. The city has an area of 93.67 km² with a total green space of 30% and a tree coverage of 23%.
While for a capital these statistics are impressive, greenery alone doesn’t always equal biodiversity. A city can have trees, lawns and flower beds while still offering relatively few habitats for insects, birds and other species.
This is why Copenhagen has been changing the way it has been approaching its green spaces. Instead of treating nature as something that needs to be perfectly trimmed and controlled, the city is increasingly making room for more natural forms of growth. Its biodiversity policies promote more varied vegetation, native plants, wetlands, ponds and areas managed in ways that create habitats for different species.
Nature is protecting the future of Copenhagen
Supporting biodiversity could also contribute to preparing for upcoming heatwaves due to climate change.
"Cities in northern Europe aren't always designed to shelter you from the sun. They're often designed to expose you to the sun because you want to get it," says B. MacSharry.
He explains that there are ongoing discussions about the fact that when you have more trees in urban areas, the temperature of the ground is lower. So, creating more greenspaces directly contributes to limiting effects of rising temperatures in the city.
