By Nicholas Fordyce
The World’s climate is changing. Climate variability has always been a thing; but anthropogenic climate change has not. Rapid industrialisation has led to significant changes in our atmosphere’s chemistry and the resulting climate changes are occurring at a rate and severity that risks exceeding the adaptive capabilities of the ecosystems and species which we are reliant upon for our own prosperity and, indeed more ominously, our survival.
Alarmingly, climate change is just one component of the Triple Planetary Crisis which faces us. Widespread pollution, on land, in our oceans and rivers, and in the air we breathe is another, and a steep decline in biodiversity is the other.
None of this should really be news to anyone. Neither should the fact that as South Africans, we’re in line to be on the more severe receiving end of the aforementioned climate changes. According to the IPCC, we already frequently experience droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events, with evidence that the frequency and intensity of such events will increase yet more!
In searching for solutions to the triple planetary crisis, most agree that we must embrace a green transition. Whilst there are a number of different definitions for what this means, a few basic tenants hold true. A green transition necessarily implies a development pathway towards carbon neutrality that is also socially just (also referred to as a Just Transition); ensuring no one is left behind, whilst aiming to redesign the critical components of any economy including energy production, water and sanitation infrastructure, transport, food production and waste minimisation and management such that each function in cleaner, more sustainable ways.In South Africa, the just transition imperative has now been entrenched and embraced by most major stakeholder groups. There is broad consensus among social partners that climate change will impact people and the economy, and that a just transition to a sustainable, cleaner, and more inclusive economy is required.
The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) highlights that “a just transition aims to achieve a quality life for all South Africans, in the context of increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate, fostering climate resilience, and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in line with best available science”. It is therefore incumbent upon us to take lessons where they are available.
Lessons from Denmark
One of the aspects of travel that has always excited me is the inevitable requirement to use different modes of transport to get around. I’m probably a relatively extreme example of this; fuelled by my interest in nature, and birds in particular, I’ve been extremely fortunate and intentional in seeking out pretty exotic and remote locations in search of unusual wildlife, and this has inevitably triggered the need to use unusual modes of transport. Yet even for the less intrepid traveler, varied transport requirements should be anticipated.
Copenhagen wouldn’t fall into a list of cities I’d classify as particularly intrepid or exotic, but it does still fit the aforementioned travel pattern. During a three-week visit to the city in September, as part of a study tour to learn about what Denmark is doing to adapt to, and mitigate against, climate changes, mobility was a feature that stood out.
Copenhagen has to be one of the easiest cities in the world to move around in. It is not the biggest city, but more importantly, public transport is a breeze to use, and there are a variety of ways to get around. During my three weeks in Copenhagen, I walked a lot (according to my Strava app, over 120 kilometres). As a pedestrian, it’s no exaggeration to say that the biggest risk to one’s safety isn’t cars, buses or even trains; it is the hordes of cyclists that make use of the generous and numerous cycle lanes that cut through the city!
And so a key lesson from my Danish autumn emerges; ease of mobility; unlocking a city.
EASE OF MOBILITY
Copenhagen’s urban design has intentionally prioritised cyclists and pedestrians. Most major roadways include pedestrian and cycling lanes, often wider than those allocated to cars and buses, and the latter are required to give way to the former, without exception.
There is also a network of highly efficient, relatively affordable, electrified rail alternatives. I used the metro a lot; Copenhagen’s (mostly) underground rapid local train service. The metro runs 24/7 and, remarkably, trains can be caught at intervals usually 2 – 4 minutes apart. The convenience is extraordinary. Moving around in a new city can be intimidating; but the metro in Copenhagen consists of four different lines and it takes surprisingly little time to figure out which one you need to be on, and in which direction you need to be heading. Then it’s just a case of hopping on and off as required.
The S-trains, another inner-city train offering, are described as a hybrid urban-suburban train system. They run less frequently than the metro, with trains every 7-10 minutes, but, critically, link slightly further suburban areas with the city centre.
In addition to the trains; buses are also very common throughout the city. One particular bus route, the 5C bus, actually runs entirely on biogas that is produced via the treatment of municipal organic waste; making it a carbon neutral bus offering. These buses emit 72% less NOx and 33% fewer particles and they also make less noise. They resemble the bus rapid transit (BRT) system; an international concept known from European cities like Paris and Barcelona
Collectively, public transport infrastructure is comprehensive, and provides a plethora of clean, rapid and affordable ways to get around. It’s little wonder that most residents make use of public transport, despite the relatively high standard of living experienced by most Danish folk.
For those that do opt for private transport, there are challenges and an increasing number of reasons not to do so. Commuters using their own transport are discouraged from using greenhouse gas emitting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles within the city. This has been achieved through the establishment of “low emission zones” (Miljozøne) which have been adopted by five municipalities within Denmark; including in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. The regulations stipulate that diesel-powered passenger cars, lorries, buses and vans must have a particulate filter fitted to the vehicle in order to enter the low emission zones. This applies to both Danish and non-Danish vehicles. Enforcement is carried out by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and fixed-penalties of between DKK1 500 – DKK12 500 apply (to put this in context, at the time of writing, these fines would equate to between R3 850 – R32 500 – a very steep penalty!).
Whilst these regulations are a useful tool, they do not operate in isolation. Infrastructure in Copenhagen is geared towards supporting a transition towards electric vehicles (EVs). Charging ports are incredibly common in the city, at least when considering the proportion of available parking spots that have and don’t have charging ports. The combination of low emission zones and readily available charging stations has played a significant role in accelerating the uptake of EVs in Copenhagen.
Moreover, electricity can be relatively cheap; making charging your EV an altogether more affordable option than filling your vehicle with diesel. For those looking to save on transport costs, a website like this one, which shows the real time energy production and consumption of the country, will help inform the end user of when it is a good time (cheap) to charge your vehicle, and when it isn’t. Even for those who aren’t particularly discerning about when they charge their vehicle, the reality is that the abundance of clean energy sources that make up the Danish energy mix, results in a vehicle that is powered by clean energy.
Parking is another mechanism that the Danes have used to discourage private passenger vehicle use. In urban contexts, parking bays often take up a disproportionate amount of space; often to the detriment of much needed low-cost housing close to a city’s economic hub. In Denmark, and in Copenhagen particularly, parking has been made extremely expensive, acting as yet another reason not to opt for private vehicle use.
It is easy to look at Denmark and cast judgement on our own transport inefficiencies at home. That would be unfair and lacking suitable context. For one thing, Copenhagen’s topography and generally mild climate underpins its suitability to cyclists and walkers. The city is incredibly flat, meaning cyclists and walkers very rarely have to exert themselves going up a hill. Contrast this with certain African cities and it’s easier to see how we may face more challenges, including abiotic ones, in rolling out such a system. Nevertheless, there are lessons to take from Denmark and improving mobility should not be overlooked as a critical part of a green transition. In June this year, I wrote about “Driving towards a Just Transition”, and highlighted the complex economy that is linked to South Africa’s coal industry. What is clear is that there is an alternative. Just as there are numerous jobs linked to the diesel-powered freight industry (a theme of that article from June), so there is an equivalent job creating industry linked to cleaner modes of transport.
Green Riders, a Cape Town-based green mobility SMME, provides a local example of exactly what can be achieved in this respect. The company has not only created a clean, sustainable and potentially decarbonised last-mile delivery service within the city, but it is equipping hundreds of individuals with new, decent job opportunities. As part of the recent Earthshot Week, hosted in Cape Town by the UK’s Prince William, hundreds of cyclists took to the road to demonstrate eco-travel and micro-mobility in the city. The demonstration is important, and as with the example from Copenhagen, it makes a strong case for investment into infrastructure to improve mobility within our cities.
Nicholas Fordyce is the Communications and Publications Manager at the Green Cape Fund for Nature (South Africa)
