Climate and Sustainability > News > 2009 in retrospect
2010-01-18
The Climate Office at the University of Copenhagen: The year 2009 in retrospective.
2009 was indeed a year where climate change once and for all was put on the international agenda, partly due to the fact that the United Nations' climate conference was held here in Copenhagen.
COP15: The Copenhagen Accord
Find more information about the outcome of the conference and the Copenhagen Accord here (pdf).
The events at the University of Copenhagen
As highlighted below, climate was also a high priority and a central theme throughout the University's events and activities in 2009:
The International Scientific Congress, Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions, held in March 2009 gathered over 2000 scientists and researchers from more than 60 countries in the world.
The outcome of the congress was a synthesis report with six key messages, which later was handed over to the former PM of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
The report - which now is available in eight languages - has been widely distributed to many different organizations and individuals in connection with the University's climate-related events. During 2010, a book on the findings is to be published by Cambridge University Press.
The opening of the first carbon-neutral building in Denmark, Green Lighthouse. Green Lighthouse was a joint construction project between the private and public sector; with the University of Copenhagen being the impetus of the project and owner of the house. It is used by students from the Faculty of Science. Read more about Green Lighthouse here.
The University arranged fourteen Copenhagen Climate Lectures throughout the year, among them were: Will Steffen, Honorary Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Ditlev Engel, CEO of Vestas Wind Systems A/S, and Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. Read more about our Climate Lectures here.
The
student conference, "RETHINK Our Energy Future", was arranged in cooperation
with Energy Crossroads, Denmark,
where students from over 30 different countries participated in a discussion of
energy policy and the shaping of sustainable energy scenarios. Read more about the student conference here.
Several events were held alongside COP15, such as seminars and workshops as well as an exclusive session organized in cooperation with the City of Copenhagen as part of the official program of the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors.
Moreover, the University of Copenhagen launched a new climate strategy from 2010 and on, and presented a range of climate courses, which involved Nobel Prize receivers. A more thorough overview can be found here .
Thank you for 2009
We, at the Climate Office, would like to thank all of our partners, collaborators, contributors and participants for the year that has passed, and we look forward to working with you and seeing you in the new year!
The Climate
Office,
University
of Copenhagen