Sustainable scooter trip to Copenhagen climate summit gets going

The Road To Copenhagen: first 100 young people with electric scooters have left from Den Bosch

Den Bosch - The sustainable scooter trip The Road To Copenhagen has officially started. This morning at 10:30, some 100 young people with electric scooters left Den Bosch on their way to the climate summit in Copenhagen. After a blessing from Bishop Hurkmans, Mayor Rombouts fired the starting shot. The Road to Copenhagen is a road trip by scooter which is being made between Den Bosch and Copenhagen in 3 legs of 5 days.

“One’s personal conduct is what makes the difference”, said Bishop Hurkmans from Den Bosch as he was blessing the 100 scooter riders that are going to the climate summit in Copenhagen. He called for rich countries to show solidarity with the poor countries that do not have much energy at their disposal. The bishop is making his own contribution to the environment by growing his own vegetables and driving a hybrid car.

"Time and again it is refreshing to think with young people about practical solutions they have to improve our climate", says Bart Eigeman, the alderman responsible for Traffic and Transport. "Young people are doing heaps on this within education too. It will come as no surprise that I'm really intrigued as to the new ideas they'll be coming up with on their way to Copenhagen."

Video: Road to Copenhagen

Official start (2.58 min)
More videos of the Road to Copenhagen

About The Road To Copenhagen

The Road to Copenhagen (www.theroadtocopenhagen.com) is a road trip by scooter which is being made between Den Bosch and Copenhagen in 3 legs of 5 days (around 100 young people on each leg). During the journey, the participants on the trip will examine the options that electric transport offers in order to create a more sustainable world. They will also be thinking and talking together about climate objectives, a more sustainable world and practical solutions that will make our lives more pleasant and more sustainable. Along the way the participants will meet inspiring people and visit innovative projects. The participants will convert their experiences and ideas into a manifesto. The participants will then present this manifesto to a number of world leaders - including Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment Jacqueline Cramer - at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen on 15 December.

The Road to Copenhagen's progress can be followed at www.theroadtocopenhagen.com.

The Road To Copenhagen is an initiative of energy company Essent and is being supported by:
Alfen, BKB, Boers & Co Fijnmetaal groep bv, Breeman Automotive Groep, Buys Business Events,
CBR, Dong, Enexis, Epyon, Fabrique, FietsNed, Amsterdam City Council, Den Bosch City Council
Leeuwarden City Council, Delft City Council, Kema, Klimaat voor ruimte (Climate for Space), Loesje, Mister Green, OV-Fiets, PGGM, Pro-Rail, the Province of Noord Brabant, Rabobank, RWE, Delft University of Technology, UMCG Ambulancezorg, Valence, XERO Technology.

Published: 02 December 2009