The train trip from Copenhagen to Zurich is an adventure any time of the year. But during the last week of the COP15, where 192 nations met to develop a binding treaty to control climate change, the trip promised to provide plenty of interesting discussion. I was not disappointed.
The night train to Zurich leaves early in the evening, which for a place so far north in winter means it was dark and already bitterly cold. As we stood waiting for the train to arrive in Copenhagen main station, the snow had begun falling again, as it had fallen continuously for most of the second week of the COP negotiations, adding to the general unease of standing so long outside. I reflected on just how much time I had spent waiting outside for things to happen.
I was one of the unlucky ones, who went to Copenhagen only to be denied access to the main conference center, the Bella Center, due to continuously changing UN access restrictions. To gain access others went through exhausting measures, waking at 5:00 to be the first in line, or standing almost 12 hours in the cold to receive the necessary accreditation.
On the train platform, I met one of the 11 delegates from Liberia. The representation at COP15 varied tremendously between countries. Brazil reportedly registered anyone who wanted to attend, which left them with almost 700 delegates. Liberia sent 11, seven of whom were from a university.
When it became clear that our train was going to be delayed by more than an hour, we all went back upstairs into the warmth of the covered station, much like Zurich main station. My eyes drifted to the advertisement hanging from the middle of the station. “Let’s Go Green Together” was stated there in friendly green print together with pea pod illustrations. This was one of many uplifting, hopeful climate advertisements posted around the city. It made me smile, which is so important when asking people to change their behavior. “Turn Copenhagen into Hopenhagen,” was another city theme connecting locals to the international negotiations.
Our trip home proved to be another adventure, with a planned 17 hour ride turning into 24 hours. Many participants from COP15 were on my train. We all shared the same urgent hope that something would be accomplished politically to halt the unregulated emissions of greenhouse gases which are changing the climate as we know it. We hoped that the negotiators shared the same urgency.
Elke Hodson, ETH Sustainability
Quite to the point – I guess hundreds of people can find their own story in yours… Our train was delayed by merely two hours, we couldn’t get to sleep because of some folks having a party in the compartment next door… but for me the COP15 experience was definitely worth it!