General Enquires deals with the following questions:

What can LGs do at the LOUNGE?

Attending COP 15 and the LG LOUNGE

The Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors

Finding accommodation in Copenhagen

Is ICLEI organising Local Government Climate Sessions at COP 15, as in Bali and Poznan?

Due to the importance of the COP 15, specific local government advocacy efforts are being organized in and around the Local Government Climate LOUNGE at the event. This replaces the usual Local Government Climate Sessions or Conferences at COPs. Please, find below the Local Government Activities as planned prior to and during COP 15 – from 3 to 18 December 2009.

What is the Local Government Climate LOUNGE?

The Local Government Climate LOUNGE is a prominent meeting space (100 m²) for local governments located in the COP 15 building in Copenhagen, the Bella Center, ideally placed in the center of the national delegations’ offices, thus at the heart of the groundbreaking negotiations.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability has secured this office space from 7 to 18 December 2009 and this will be the advocacy base for Local Government operations during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, (15^th Conference of the Parties - COP 15) in Copenhagen in the framework of the Local Government Climate Roadmap.

The Local Government Climate LOUNGE represents a unique opportunity for LGs. This meeting space will be used for various purposes:

Meetings with national delegations:

Advocacy meetings of Local Government elected representatives and National Delegation representatives. If you are an elected local leader, we would like to count on your participation in those meetings. We kindly request you to indicate your availability and willingness to participate. The Local Government Climate LOUNGE team will provide you with all the information needed. Attendance is free of charge. Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of participants.

LG Ambassadors:

LG elected representatives can act as Local Government Ambassadors in the Plenary rooms and corridors, as well as by attending specific side events. The Local Government Climate LOUNGE team will provide you with all the information needed.

Topical meetings:

If your local government, association or organization would like to organize a session on a specific climate related theme/activity in the COP 15 venue, take advantage of this opportunity. Address Local Government representatives, National Delegation representatives and all the key stakeholders involved in climate related issues. You can address you requests to ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability via climate-lounge@iclei.org.

Make your local case, pool successes, facts and figures:

Contribute to a strong argument - namely the importance of the local government role and the local potential to act on climate issues - and help to pool material that shows your community’s commitment, experiences and achievements. This will be documented in different formats:

• E-Posters: Through an electronic display, posters of local cases (standard format) will be shown in the LOUNGE, inside the COP 15 area. Cost: 600 Euro (exl. VAT) per case (includes design costs). You just need to provide the text and images (additional details on request). Deadline for contributions: 15 November 2009

• Local Climate Action Cases/Local stories: A package of outstanding and innovative local action cases, with a focus on the UN negotiation and community relevant topics, will be compiled and made available to the press and national delegations in the LOUNGE. Your community case can be considered. You will need to provide the content according to the template provided (additional details on request). Cost: 600 Euro (exl. VAT). Deadline for contributions: 31 October 2009. 

Other visibility opportunities:

To take advantage of the great visibility opportunity that COP 15 is, contact us for more details.

Can I submit an e-poster or a local case without coming to Copenhagen?

Yes. You can submit an e-poster or a local case that will be displayed at the LOUNGE even if you don not plan to come to Copenhagen and attend the COP.

I am a local government representative/association and would like to attend COP 15 and the open meeting of the LOUNGE. What is the procedure?

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability can facilitate your nomination to access COP 15. Please, contact climate-lounge@iclei.org to ask for the “Request for nomination to access COP 15 form”.

Upon receipt, ICLEI will process your demand and when the formal process within the UNFCCC Secretariat for COP 15 nominations starts, we will forward your data to the Secretariat to process your accreditation within their system. We anticipate that the deadline imposed by the UNFCCC Secretariat to receive nominations will be end of October. Confirmation of your nomination will follow in November.

Is the nomination  to access COP 15 free of charge?

The nomination procedure is free of charge, and does not imply any costs for Local Government Representatives. Nevertheless, all the Local Government Activities are organized with the limited funds available so far. Therefore, we welcome any contribution via the above options as valuable support to the Local Government Climate LOUNGE.

What does the nomination allow me to do in Copenhagen?

The nomination for COP 15 will allow any Local Government representative to:

• Access the COP 15 area (side events, exhibits, plenary rooms, etc.)
• Attend the daily morning briefings on the International Climate Negotiations in the Local Government Climate LOUNGE.
• Attend specific sessions organized in the Local Government Climate LOUNGE.

What is the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors? Can I participate in it?

The Summit takes place from 14 to 17 December 2009, and is organized by the City of Copenhagen in cooperation with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. http://www.climatesummitformayors.dk/. Participation is by invitation only and specifically for a limited number of mayors from large cities.

Participation in the Local Government Climate LOUNGE does not include access to the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors. For additional information on this particular event please visit http://www.climatesummitformayors.dk/ or contact climatesummitformayors@okf.kk.dk.

Who should I address to find accommodation in Copenhagen?

We recommend you check the official websites and book as soon as possible: http://en.cop15.dk/about+cop15/going+to+cop15/hotels+and+accommodation and  www.cop15.nhg.dk.

Please read the conditions carefully (i.e. all bookings need to be for a week or longer) and note that only participants officially nominated or in nomination process by the observer organizations to the UNFCCC can be assigned a room.

ICLEI is not responsible for managing your accommodation and we ask you to liaise directly via the COP 15 official booking system.

Are there any other types of accommodation available, in addition to hotels and hostels?

Private accommodation may be available to rent. Please check on  www.housing.cop15.dk.

As an alternative, visitors can stay free of charge with a local Copenhagen family on their sofa or in their spare room. Visit  www.newlifecopenhagen.com for further information.

Back to top