The UNFCCC meetings (otherwise known at COP15) are held at the Bella Center, just outside of Copenhagen. The public transport is ideal and should be the envy of every American — frequent trains and an excellent bus system connect this conference center with the center of town and all other periphery. The conference center itself is a perfect venue for masses to congregate — security systems, internet, cafes, and meeting rooms abound; and things are incredibly seamless given the unique nature of this once-in-a-lifetime meeting hosted by Denmark. Each day, a Daily Programme is issued highlighting the meetings, the times, the rooms, and the topics. In error, I walked into the special session of the African Group on day 1 — it was fairly obvious that I was not part of their group! In other cases, press conferences come and go in quick succession, so once has to be quick to catch all the activities. But overall, it is an amazing machinery of organized chaos, energy-sensitive activities (for example, water served from coolers not from plastic bottles) and educational displays abounding in all hallways, venues, and central spaces. If the meeting organizers were also in charge of the outcomes, we would be assured of a seamless agreement!
Downtown Copenhagen also exemplifies the mission of COP15. Below is my favorite billboard, illustrating “Hopenhagen” with two young children; ironically, note the McDonald’s advertisement above. And the inflatable image of Earth is part of an educational display to illustrate one ton of carbon emissions.
Follow CanopyMeg on Twitter as she attends COP15.
