Copenhagen faces several key challenges in achieving zero-emission transport by 2025:
1. Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
The city plans to convert all bus lines to zero-emission by 2025, replacing diesel buses with carbon-neutral alternatives. This requires significant investment and coordination to upgrade public transport fleets and infrastructure rapidly.
2. High Share of Trips by Sustainable Modes
Copenhagen aims for 75% of trips to be made by foot, bike, or public transit by 2025, up from 66%. Achieving this modal shift demands extensive improvements in cycling infrastructure, public transport accessibility, and policies discouraging car use, which is complex amid urban growth.
3. Urban Growth Pressure
The city expects an influx of around 100,000 new residents by 2025, which could increase vehicle numbers and travel demand. Managing this growth while maintaining or reducing emissions from transport is a major challenge.
4. Incomplete Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Strategy
While CCS was a key part of Copenhagen’s original net-zero plan to handle residual emissions from waste-to-energy plants, the city had to abandon this due to a lack of national funding and eligibility for CCS projects. This failure threatens overall emission reduction targets and reflects the broader difficulty of relying on emerging technologies with uncertain prospects.
5. Infrastructure and Public Acceptance
Extensive infrastructure investment is required to support new subway lines, bike lanes, and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions that integrate transport modes. Ensuring public acceptance and behavioral change towards these new systems is also challenging.
In summary, Copenhagen’s main hurdles lie in accelerating the transition to zero-emission public transport, accommodating rapid urban population growth without increasing car traffic, and overcoming technological and funding setbacks in complementary carbon removal solutions. These factors collectively cast doubt on fully meeting the zero-emission transport and broader carbon neutrality goals by 2025.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-main-challenges-copenhagen-faces-in-achieving-zero-emission-transport-by-2025/
