A new report from LSE Cities outlines the strategic choices facing Copenhagen as it builds on its pioneering work as a global green economy leader.
Copenhagen is widely recognised as a green economy leader. The Copenhagen region accounts for almost 40% of Denmark’s output and has enjoyed long-term stable growth. At a national level, Danish GDP per capita is ranked among the top 10 countries in the world. At the same time, the city’s growth has been delivered while improving environmental performance and transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
A pioneering success
This new report, produced by LSE Cities at the London School of Economics and Political Science in partnership with the City of Copenhagen, shows that the city continues to build on its pioneering success. Copenhagen has set itself the ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2025, and the report looks at the challenges and opportunities involved in delivering this transformative agenda.
The project’s research director, Graham Floater, said:
“Copenhagen has left many cities behind in the race to a green economy. And rather than resting on its laurels, the city aims to be the world’s first carbon-neutral capital city in 2025 – that raises enormous challenges, but also opportunities for growth-enhancing innovation.”
Drivers for green growth
Featuring a wealth of new research findings, the report shows how Copenhagen’s success is underpinned by a strong combination of the city’s green growth drivers. A number of these drivers rank among the best in Europe and the world, including the city’s compact urban form, strong innovation, high skills and employment, low carbon emissions, and improved environmental quality.
Energy and resource effectiveness and low carbon drivers are central to Copenhagen’s carbon-neutral goal, and will require substantial additional policy support, particularly in the areas of district heating, energy efficiency, waste management and decarbonising the transport sector.
The report also examines the challenges that Copenhagen will face in maintaining its position as a green economy leader internationally.
Productive cities in Europe
Copenhagen remains one of the most productive cities in Europe, with gross value added exceeding US $83,000 per worker in 2010. However, over the last decade, income and investment levels in other OECD countries and cities have been closing the gap with Denmark. Drawing on the city’s strengths as an innovation-led economy will be key.
Copenhagen’s cleantech sector has performed strongly over the past decade compared to other leading industrial clusters in Europe, with exports growing at around 12% per year. To maintain the city’s competitive position, a range of challenges facing innovation and green business in Copenhagen will need to be addressed, including financial and information barriers and increasing international competition. Graham Floater said:
“Attracting private investment at scale for low-carbon infrastructure is a challenge for all cities. Cross-border collaboration would create a stronger base for innovative technologies and strengthen Copenhagen’s position in the global cleantech market.”
Download the report, Copenhagen: Green Economy Leader here: http://lsecities.net/publications/reports/copenhagen/
Source: Economics of Green Cities Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science in partnership with the City of Copenhagen.
