Read the complete manifesto

Here are a couple of video clips shot by our ‘roadies’. These were all made during our road trip by electric scooter from Den Bosch to Copenhagen (COP15).

Wednesday 15 December the Road to Copenhagen (R2C) caravan arrived in the Danish capital to present its manifesto on personal sustainable mobility.

Jacqueline Cramer
After being warmly welcomed into town by Danish MP Per Ørom Jørgensen, we were honoured by a visit of the Dutch Minister of the Environment ms. Jacqueline Cramer. She spoke to us enthusiastically not only about the efforts of the participants, but also of the usefulness and aptness of the statements that make up the manifesto.

Bella Center
Last but not least, a few of us were lucky enough to get into the Bella Center, where the COP15 conference was taking place. There, they spoke about the manifesto to a.o. Dutch Development Cooperation Minister Bert Koenders, Dutch MP Diederik Samson and alderman Marijke Vos of Amsterdam. Watch the videos here!

The Road to Copenhagen is well on its way to Copenhagen, where we will present our manifesto on personal sustainable mobility at the COP15 climate conference. Our caravan of 100 scooter ‘roadies’, 100 electric scooters and 100 orange helmets has already crossed the Danish border. After Odense (Sunday 13 December) and Roskilde (Monday 14 December) we will arrive in Copenhagen Tuesday 15 December. Here are some of the highlights of our program that day.

09.00 - 10.00 hrs On our scooters from Roskilde to Copenhagen

10.00 hrs Arrival of our caravan of 100 electric scooters at the Danish parliament building Christiansborg. Here, we will hand over our manifesto to Danish member of parliament Per Ørum JØrgensen (of the Conservative People’s Party of Denmark).

12.30 - 16.30 hrs Presenting the manifesto at the Bella Center (COP15 venue)

14.00 - 15.30 hrs Arctic traveller and environmentalist Robert Swan talks to the participants at the Custom House. A few lucky roadies will get to go on a short boat trip with mr. Swan.

16.00 - 16.30 hrs At the Saga Queen boat, we will present our manifesto to Dutch Minister of the Environment, ms. Jacqueline Cramer.

17.00 - 17.15 hrs We will present our manifesto to Jürgen Grossmann, CEO of RWE.

17:30 - 18.30 hrs Talkshow with Per Meilstrup (Climate Director at Mandag Morgen/Copenhagen Climate Council), Prof. dr. Pier Vellinga (chairman of the Knowledge for Climate research program and vice chairman of the Climate Changes Spatial Planning program), Leo Meyer (IPCC) and a youth representative about the role of the new generation in the climate summit.

From 21.00 hrs Road to Copenhagen party at the Saga Queen boat (only for R2C participants, press and guests)

This evening the roadies went on a boat trip through the harbor of the German city Hamburg. The harbor authorities have already put a lot in effort to sustainability, though they admit they still haven’t reached to the point of sustainable satisfaction.

The sea transport is becoming more and more environmental friendly, but the ferry services departing from Hamburg all over the Baltic Sea are yet to be given the same sustainable healing the harbor is having right now.

Second largest harbor
Hamburg, having the second largest harbor of Europe after Rotterdam, will relate the port charges not only to boat sizes, but also on environmental considerations.

Energy
At this moment over 60% of all containers shipped in are transported by either small cargo ships or by train, thus leaving the polluting trucks on a side track. Another good point is the fact ships are able to use environmental generated energy, instead of electricity generated by their own diesel engines.

Polluting area?
Hopeful words coming from what on first sight looks like a enormous polluting area. And yes, it is nice to be told that most of the steam pipes all around the wide spread industrial area blow very less CO2 into the air, but still… Don’t people still judge books by covers, are opinions more often formed by what people see instead of what they know (and not even hear or are being told)?

Act now
Here lies the challenge. Not only for the roadies, but for everyone. Act now, and create solutions fitting into the selected knowledge of mankind. Only then can you widen their view, open their eyes and make them hold their breath for a minute. But only then.

Over ‘n out.

Whilst being inspired by scientists, politicians, artists and professionals, the participants of the Road to Copenhagen are working hard on their manifesto on sustainability and the role electric mobility can play to make the world a cooler place to live in. It will be presented at the UN Climate Change Conference COP15 in Copenhagen on Tuesday 15 December. Here’s an update on what the first shift has come up with.

Consumerism
During the first 5 days of the Road to Copenhagen, the participants have been working on the first part of the manifesto, that focuses on consumer behaviour. Here is a sneak peak on what the ‘roadies’, as are the Road to Copenhagen’s participants have affectionately been dubbed, have come up with so far.

We, the roadies of the Road to Copenhagen…

…want the world leaders in Copenhagen to provide sustainable and affordable mobility for everybody by stimulating both producers and consumers through financial incentives.

…urge our negotiators to make sustainability an integral part of education all over the world, in order to make people aware of their impact on the environment.

…believe governments and companies should work together to lead consumers towards a sustainable lifestyle by creative and informative marketing programs.”

Make it reality
The Road to Copenhagen’s participants don’t just make statements, they have also figured out how they can become reality. All statements are therefore founded in practical solutions. For example, the introduction of smart financing plans for sustainable mobility and the creation of a ‘dump circle’ that prevents raw materials to end up at the rubbish dump. It is also the roadies’ goal to give 50 per cent of all driving lessons in electric cars, so people can get easily used to them

Sustainable lifestyle
On a more educational note, the roadies want schools to treat the environment to be a part of the curriculum in itself, not just a topic that is now and again touched upon. To promote adoption of a sustainable lifestyle with consumers, companies should hire celebrity ambassadors as early adopters, setting the trend for the masses. Also, events should be held where sustainable products are presented and can be tried out for free. Green products should have their own special ‘green logos’. Buying products with these logo should lead to rewards. And this is only a selection of the solutions the roadies have come up with.

Second manifesto part
Right now, the roadies are working hard on the second part of the manifesto, that focuses on the role the automotive industry can and should play in combatting climate change.

Watch a video update here:

“If you want to influence the conference members at COP15, know the abbreviations.” It is one of the more practical insights mr. Henning Rentz, head of Corporate Policy of RWE and lecturer at Münster University, shared with the Road to Copenhagen caravan.

So, here we go with some of the most used abbreviations in the realm of the UN climate conference. Learn them by heart, and only then you will stand a change when talking to one of the 18.000 (!) conference members.

• ASIS - African Small Island States
• CAP - capita (‘head’, e.g. CO-2 emissions per capita)
• CDM - clean development mechanism
• COP15 - Conference Of Parties, the 15th
• CPN - Copenhagen!
• CCS - carbon capture and storage
• DC - developing countries
• EV - electric vehicles
• GDP - gross domestic product
• GHG - greenhouse gas emissions
• IPCC - International Panel of Climate Change
• MOP - Members Of the Parties
• REDD - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
• REN - renewable energy
• UNFCC - United Nations Framework for Climate Change

Picture: Henning Rentz

‘The workshops were nice, the trip was nice, it is so good to be here’, says roadie Julie Schack from Denmark. Her big smile tells eventually much more than words can.

A need to be heard
But still she feels she, like all the roadies over R2C, needs to be heard. “How to make the people more aware? It is difficult, but the R2C brings up so many ideas. Naturally we should buy more sustainable products, by lowering its prices for example. But also by putting warnings on non-sustainable products, like there are warnings on cigarette packs. So if a product tells you that because you bought it the polar caps will melt more, a little girl can ask her mother: “Mommy, why did you just kill a polar bear?”’

Change is coming
“In Copenhagen the politicians already have some good ideas, like a tax for driving your car in(to) the centre of the town. And thus the public transport is promoted as well. I am very glad to see that there is goodwill everywhere. A change is coming, I know it.”

> Julie Schack

This morning the mayor and the bishop of the city of Den Bosch were present, allong with lots of press and media. This morning The Road to Copenhagen has started.

As is every road, the R2C also is one with bumps. Not only because it is a major challenge to finally reach Copenhagen by electric scooters, but also and even more because we want to make a very important statement.

The first part of the trip has just ended, everybody has had their lunch and now, fresh and fruity again, the first workshops have started. The heat is on, discussions are getting lifted to the next level, and the first letters of the manifest are being written as we speak…

Join us on the Road to Copenhagen’s official start on Wednesday 2 December at Den Bosch (Parade)!

Wednesday 2 December

08h30 - 09h30 Arrival scooters, participants and guests of The Road to Copenhagen at the ‘village de départ’. Students from Willem I College will perform technical checks of electric scooters, while participants have typical ‘Brabants’ breakfast.

09h30 - 10h15 Opening programme, with a.o. mayor Rombouts of the city of Den Bosch, aldermen Bart Eigeman en Jetty Eugster and provincial executive Lily Jacobs. Host: Andrew Makkinga.

10h15 - 10h30 Bishop Hurkmans of the Den Bosch diocese blesses de scooters en mayor Rombouts sees off the caravan.

10h30 – 12h00 Caravan (scooters, e-ambulance, segways, and electric and hybrid cars) drives from Den Bosch (Parade) to Berghem (De Merx).

* 12h00 - 15h00 Berghem (De Merx): workshop, first exploration of the three angles of The Road to Copenhagen. These angles are consumerism, automotive industries and infrastructure.

* 16h30 - 18h30 Molenhoek (Hotel Van der Valk):  Workshop on sustainable campaigning by Kay van de Linde

* 19h30 - 22h00 Molenhoek (Hotel Van der Valk): Lecture of Prof.dr. Michael Braungart, co-founder of the Cradle to Cradle concept.

Programme items marked with * are for R2C guests and shift 1 participants only.

www.theroadtocopenhagen.com

Join us on the Road to Copenhagen’s prologue in Leeuwarden!

Tuesday 1 December

* 09h00 - 09h30 Townhall: Alderman Isabelle Dirks of the city of Leeuwarden welcomes The Road to Copenhagen’s participants

09h30 - 10h30 Outside of townhall: Fitting jackets & helmets

* 10h30 - 12h00 Lecture by Jip Lenstra, program manager Environment at the Energy research Center of the Netherlands

* 12h00 - 12h30 Lecture by Bouwe de Boer, energy co-ordinator of the city of Leeuwarden

* 12h30 - 13h30 Lunch at (electric!) boat

13h30 - 14h00 Townhall: Welcome for press and invitees

14h00 - 14h15 Townhall: Official start prologue by mayor Ferd Crone, goal keeper Stanley Menzo and alderman Isabelle Dirks

14h15 - 16h00 Driving from Leeuwarden (townhall: Hofplein) to Grouw on electric scooter

Programme items marked with * are for R2C guests and shift 1 participants only.

www.theroadtocopenhagen.com

Join us on the Road to Copenhagen’s prologue in Amsterdam!

Tuesday 1 December

* 08h00 Stayokay Vondelpark: Welcome R2C participants

08h10 - 09h00 Nieuwmarkt: Fitting jackets & helmets

* 09h10 - 09h25 Stopera: Press and invitees meeting with alderman Marijke Vos of the city of Amsterdam

09h25 - 09h45 Driving from Stopera to Nieuwmarkt on electric scooter

* 10h00 - 11h00 Lecture by Maarten Linnenkamp, program manager electric mobility of the city of Amsterdam

* 11h00 - 12h30 Lecture by Aart van Veller, sustainable entrepreneur

14h15 - 16h00 Driving from Amsterdam (Nieuwmarkt) to Vinkeveen on electric scooter

Programme items marked with * are for R2C guests and shift 1 participants only.

www.theroadtocopenhagen.com

Join us on the Road to Copenhagen’s prologue in Hilversum!

Tuesday 1 December

09h00 - 09h30 Beeld & Geluid: Meet & Greet with Dutch minister Timmermans of European Affairs

* 10h00 - 11h00 Lecture on by Kjell Biezen, manager Electric Transportation at Essent

* 11h00 - 12h30 Lecture by Joop Oude Lohuis, head of department at The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL)

13h00 - 14h00 Beeld & Geluid: fitting jackets & helmets

14h00 - 15h30 Driving from Hilversum (Beeld & Geluid) to Utrecht (Rabobank office, Croeselaan) on electric scooter

* 15h30 - 16h30 Lecture at Rabobank Utrecht

Programme items marked with * are for R2C guests and shift 1 participants only.

www.theroadtocopenhagen.com

The names of the participants in the sustainable scooter event The Road to Copenhagen are now known. The organisation has selected 300 Dutch, German and Danish ‘roadies’ who are to ride to the Copenhagen climate summit in stages.

‘Judging by the latest rumours, this will perhaps not result in a legally concluded climate treaty, but hopefully proper agreements will be made concerning the global reduction of CO2’, said Alexandra van Huffelen from the energy utility Essent, the initiator of The Road to Copenhagen. ‘With the manifesto that the participants will write during the electric scooter trip, they want to emphasise the importance of the climate summit, plus draw attention to the contribution that electric transport can make to this. We received a lot of applications for The Road To Copenhagen, which shows that young people wish to make a contribution to a sustainable world.’

UN Climate conference
During the UN climate conference COP15, which will take place in Copenhagen from 7 to 18 December, world leaders will be working on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

You are more than welcome to join us there!