Environmental Sustainability
#6Key Findings
Denmark performs well in international comparison (rank 6) with regard to environmental sustainability.
The 2020 Climate Law commits the country to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels, and to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Experts say the country is unlikely to meet the interim 2025 goals, with further uncertainty regarding the state’s legal accountability if this proves accurate. Critics say current plans rely too much on unproven technologies.
The country has a strong legal framework for addressing pollution and associated health risks, with stringent environmental protection measures. Agricultural pollution is a growing concern, as excessive nutrients are harming water bodies and threatening fish stocks and the water supply.
In line with the EU’s biodiversity strategy, Denmark has committed to protecting 30% of its land and sea territory, with a third of this area to receive strict protection. The government has also committed to promoting the green transition through its foreign aid strategy.
The 2020 Climate Law commits the country to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels, and to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Experts say the country is unlikely to meet the interim 2025 goals, with further uncertainty regarding the state’s legal accountability if this proves accurate. Critics say current plans rely too much on unproven technologies.
The country has a strong legal framework for addressing pollution and associated health risks, with stringent environmental protection measures. Agricultural pollution is a growing concern, as excessive nutrients are harming water bodies and threatening fish stocks and the water supply.
In line with the EU’s biodiversity strategy, Denmark has committed to protecting 30% of its land and sea territory, with a third of this area to receive strict protection. The government has also committed to promoting the green transition through its foreign aid strategy.
Graph View
Graph View
How committed is the government to the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
With the enactment of the Climate Law in 2020, the Danish government sent a strong signal that it is committed to meeting the criteria and goals formulated in the Paris Agreement. The law set the target for Denmark to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 70%, using emissions in 1990 as the baseline. It further stipulates that Denmark should be climate neutral by 2050. The law is built on four premises, which are:
1. Climate challenges are global;
2. Danish industry must be part of the solution to climate challenges, and should not be dismantled;
3. Meeting Climate Law goals, cannot have social costs; and
4. In meeting the goals, Denmark cannot simply transfer greenhouse gas emissions outside its borders.
There is a potential inherent tension in the law depending on how criterion 2 is interpreted.
To achieve these goals, the government has set five-year milestones, the first of which is in 2025. Furthermore, the government has created an independent body, the Climate Council, which is tasked with reporting on the progress being made and the likelihood of meeting the goals outlined in the law. In its most recent report, the Climate Council finds that there is considerable uncertainty as to whether the goals for 2025 will be met. There is currently a debate concerning the extent to which the Danish state can be held legally accountable if the 2025 target is not met.
To coordinate policy, the government has created a new internal committee chaired by the minister of finance, with six members. This committee is responsible for coordinating policy across all areas, lending credibility to its role due to the minister of finance’s leadership. The committee meets weekly.
The government has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to reach these goals and for relying too much on technologies that are still being developed in order to reach the target. Critics question whether this approach is feasible without structural changes, including in the agricultural sector.
Citations:
Climate Law. 2020. https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2021/2580
Green committee. https://www.stm.dk/regeringen/regeringsudvalg/
1. Climate challenges are global;
2. Danish industry must be part of the solution to climate challenges, and should not be dismantled;
3. Meeting Climate Law goals, cannot have social costs; and
4. In meeting the goals, Denmark cannot simply transfer greenhouse gas emissions outside its borders.
There is a potential inherent tension in the law depending on how criterion 2 is interpreted.
To achieve these goals, the government has set five-year milestones, the first of which is in 2025. Furthermore, the government has created an independent body, the Climate Council, which is tasked with reporting on the progress being made and the likelihood of meeting the goals outlined in the law. In its most recent report, the Climate Council finds that there is considerable uncertainty as to whether the goals for 2025 will be met. There is currently a debate concerning the extent to which the Danish state can be held legally accountable if the 2025 target is not met.
To coordinate policy, the government has created a new internal committee chaired by the minister of finance, with six members. This committee is responsible for coordinating policy across all areas, lending credibility to its role due to the minister of finance’s leadership. The committee meets weekly.
The government has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to reach these goals and for relying too much on technologies that are still being developed in order to reach the target. Critics question whether this approach is feasible without structural changes, including in the agricultural sector.
Citations:
Climate Law. 2020. https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2021/2580
Green committee. https://www.stm.dk/regeringen/regeringsudvalg/
Graph View
How committed is the government to protecting the public from environmental health risks?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
Danish legislation has always been strict regarding pollution-associated health risks. Additionally, Danish environmental protection measures have been comparatively stringent. Consequently, there is a robust legal framework in place to address health issues arising from increased pollution levels. According to a special report from the European Environmental Agency, average Danish life expectancies are not affected by pollution (Environmental Agency 2023).
There is a concern that air pollution is causing excessive deaths in the five major cities. Consequently, these municipalities have been given the right to forbid older diesel cars and trucks from entering their cities.
One issue currently attracting political attention is the pollution stemming from agricultural production. Excessive nutrients are finding their way into lakes, fjords and coastal waters, adversely affecting fishing stocks. This also threatens the water supply. Consequently, there is strong monitoring of pollution levels in groundwater quality, and several plans have been enacted. The Environmental Agency is responsible for monitoring groundwater quality. The agency is also tasked with mapping water resources and implementing various policies to protect the water supply. The guiding principle in water supply protection is to prevent pollution of the supply rather than having to clean and process water before distributing it for consumption (Environmental Agency 2023).
Citations:
Environmental Agency. 2023. “Groundwater protection.” https://mst.dk/erhverv/rent-miljoe-og-sikker-forsyning/drikkevand-og-grundvand/grundvandsbeskyttelse
There is a concern that air pollution is causing excessive deaths in the five major cities. Consequently, these municipalities have been given the right to forbid older diesel cars and trucks from entering their cities.
One issue currently attracting political attention is the pollution stemming from agricultural production. Excessive nutrients are finding their way into lakes, fjords and coastal waters, adversely affecting fishing stocks. This also threatens the water supply. Consequently, there is strong monitoring of pollution levels in groundwater quality, and several plans have been enacted. The Environmental Agency is responsible for monitoring groundwater quality. The agency is also tasked with mapping water resources and implementing various policies to protect the water supply. The guiding principle in water supply protection is to prevent pollution of the supply rather than having to clean and process water before distributing it for consumption (Environmental Agency 2023).
Citations:
Environmental Agency. 2023. “Groundwater protection.” https://mst.dk/erhverv/rent-miljoe-og-sikker-forsyning/drikkevand-og-grundvand/grundvandsbeskyttelse
Graph View
How committed is the government to preserving ecosystems and protecting biodiversity?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
The issue of biodiversity has recently gained importance in policy debates and is now attracting increased attention.
Denmark has a biodiversity strategy based on its participation in the EU biodiversity strategy. According to this strategy, member countries commit to protecting 30% of their territory (land and sea) as protected areas. A third of this area should be strictly protected in order to sustain bird and insect life (Environmental Agency 2023).
The Environmental Agency is responsible for implementing and monitoring progress on the quality of ecosystems and biodiversity. One potential concern regarding the success of the strategy is that Danish municipalities are partly responsible for its implementation. Since the municipalities are independent political entities, there is a risk that the strategy will be implemented differently across the territory. Additionally, the quality of monitoring can vary depending on the municipality. In cases where implementation has been lacking and control is lax, the state intervenes. Such interventions are typically based on cases brought to the attention of the city council.
Citations:
Environmental Agency. 2023. “Hvordan bevares biodiversitet?” https://mst.dk/erhverv/rig-natur/naturen-i-danmark/biodiversitet/hvordan-bevares-biodiversitet
Denmark has a biodiversity strategy based on its participation in the EU biodiversity strategy. According to this strategy, member countries commit to protecting 30% of their territory (land and sea) as protected areas. A third of this area should be strictly protected in order to sustain bird and insect life (Environmental Agency 2023).
The Environmental Agency is responsible for implementing and monitoring progress on the quality of ecosystems and biodiversity. One potential concern regarding the success of the strategy is that Danish municipalities are partly responsible for its implementation. Since the municipalities are independent political entities, there is a risk that the strategy will be implemented differently across the territory. Additionally, the quality of monitoring can vary depending on the municipality. In cases where implementation has been lacking and control is lax, the state intervenes. Such interventions are typically based on cases brought to the attention of the city council.
Citations:
Environmental Agency. 2023. “Hvordan bevares biodiversitet?” https://mst.dk/erhverv/rig-natur/naturen-i-danmark/biodiversitet/hvordan-bevares-biodiversitet
Graph View
To what extent is the government committed and credible in designing and promoting global environmental protection regimes and policies?
10
9
9
Government policy and institutions are fully aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
8
7
6
7
6
Government policy and institutions are largely aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
5
4
3
4
3
Government policy and institutions are somewhat aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
2
1
1
Government policy and institutions are not at all aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
As Denmark is a small economy, the question of what difference national policies can make is frequently debated, and issues such as the costs of being a front-runner with regard to loss of competitiveness have been raised. However, a strong argument in the debate is that there is a responsibility to take action, and that being a front-runner can set an example, and even be an economic advantage in the medium term.
The Danish government has decided that foreign aid will be directed toward projects that promote the green transition. In its strategy for the 2022 – 2025 period, the government focuses on promoting the green transition in developing countries (DANIDA 2021). The government aims to achieve this by supporting projects that sustainably build local markets. Specifically, the government plans to focus on projects related to sustainable water supply systems and the development of sustainable energy systems.
Furthermore, the strategy commits the Danish government to using 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid.
Citations:
DANIDA. 2021. Dansk udviklingspolitisk strategi 2021-2025: Fælles om Verden. https://um.dk/-/media/websites/umdk/danish-site/danida/strategi-og-prioriteter/udviklingsstrategi_faelles_om_verden_2021.ashx
The Danish government has decided that foreign aid will be directed toward projects that promote the green transition. In its strategy for the 2022 – 2025 period, the government focuses on promoting the green transition in developing countries (DANIDA 2021). The government aims to achieve this by supporting projects that sustainably build local markets. Specifically, the government plans to focus on projects related to sustainable water supply systems and the development of sustainable energy systems.
Furthermore, the strategy commits the Danish government to using 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid.
Citations:
DANIDA. 2021. Dansk udviklingspolitisk strategi 2021-2025: Fælles om Verden. https://um.dk/-/media/websites/umdk/danish-site/danida/strategi-og-prioriteter/udviklingsstrategi_faelles_om_verden_2021.ashx