新工科大学英语 教师用书 2. Copenhagen World’s First Carbon-Neutral Smart City by 2025.docx

Copenhagen:World’sFirstCarbon-NeutralSmartCityby2025

Copenhagensetsgreenstandardsforsmartcitiesworldwide,becomingthefirstcarbon-neutralcapitalby2025.

Denmark’svibrantcapitalcity,Copenhagen,ischaracterizedbyitscanals,awellestablishedcyclingculture,strongeconomy,deliciouspastries,astonishingarchitecture,andhappylocals.Infact,Copenhagenisknownforbeingoneofthehappiestcitiesintheworld,ifnotthehappiest.Thisismainlyduetotheirshorterworkdays,freecollegetuition,morevacationdays,andoverallhigherlevelsofhealthypersonalinteraction.

Basically,theDanesknowhowtolivebetter.Onecanfindqualityandhigh-standardsalloverCopenhagen,eveninthesmallestthings.Let’sconsidersomethingasbasicandsimpleaswater.TapwaterinDenmarkundergoesstrictdailyqualitycontrol,resultinginwaterthatissocleanandpleasanttastingthatthereisnoneedtoaddchlorineoranychemicalintoit.Freshqualitytapwaterinthecitycanbeenjoyedinmanyplacesforfree.

In2009,Copenhagensetitselftoanambitiouscommitment.In2009,theDanishcapitalwashosttotheCOP15GlobalClimateConference.ItwasthenwhenCopenhagen’scityleaderssetatargetthatwouldservebothasamotivationforothercitiesinthecountryaswellasanexampleandinspirationtoothercitiesaroundtheworld.

Carbon-NeutralCitiesAllianceandcarbon-neutrality

UndertheParisAgreement,theEuropeanUnionhascommittedtocarbon-neutralityby2050.

SeventeenmembersoftheCarbon-NeutralCitiesAlliancearepledgedtocuttheircarbonemissions80percentby2025.Copenhagenwentfurtherbydeclaringitwillbecometheworld’sfirstcarbon-neutralcityby2025.Sofar,sogood.TheDanishcapitaliswellonitswaytoreachitsgoal.

Bydeclaringitscommitmenttocarbon-neutralityby2025,Copenhagenhascommittedtononetreleaseofcarbondioxideintotheatmosphere.Inotherwords,Copenhagen’sc