Denmark is accelerating climate efforts with new 2025 deadline

Two years after the Danish Climate Act's historically ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 70 percent by 2030, political decisions have been made that will bring us about half way.

Now the government has analyzed all key climate technologies. Based on this analysis it assesses that all political decisions must be made by 2025 at the latest in order to reach the climate target in 2030. Therefore, the government is now presenting a concrete roadmap of 24 initiatives that will accelerate our climate efforts.

"The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our time. This summer's fires and floods around the world as well as the IPCC report underline this alarming fact. In Denmark, we take this challenge very serious. We have come half way towards achieving our 70 percent reductions target in 2030. However, we are in a hurry and we have to speed up our effort. Therefore, this government now sets an urgent deadline in 2025 to take all major political decisions to reach this goal. Hopefully this effort will inspire other countries to follow a similar path", says Minister of Climate Dan Jørgensen.

A roadmap of 24 green initiatives

In the coming years, the government will present 24 priorities that will ensure that the necessary decisions will be taken in order to meet the 70 percent target in 2030.

This year, the government will present a strategy on converting renewable electricity to green fuels as for example hydrogen. In addition, the government will negotiate a new plan for CO2-capture. In 2022 the government will present new proposals in the field of industry and energy. Moreover, political decisions within air transportation, road transportation and climate-friendly choices will also be addressed next year.

“We have coped with the corona crisis with an extraordinary unity and a dedicated effort. Now we have left the worst part behind us and we are able to intensify the fight against the climate crisis. We need to stand together and make bold decisions if we are to stop the catastrophic consequences of the climate changes”, says climate minister Dan Jørgensen.

The Danish government's analysis shows that the 2030-goal of 70 percent reductions can be realized in several different ways. Moreover, it shows that we are not dependent on a single technology, but that different instruments interact with each other. Therefore, the overall roadmap contains a plan for each sector until to 2025.

The roadmap is a part of the government’s climate programme. The climate programme also contains an annual global strategy for the coming year, which implements the government’s long-term climate strategy, set in 2020. This year’s strategy has a particular focus on COP26, the phase out of fossil fuels, green development assistance, environment and biodiversity, and green recovery and technology.

Facts

• Denmark has probably set one of the world’s most ambitious climate targets and made it legally binding. Denmark will reduce emissions by 70 percent by 2030, compared to 1990. In comparrison, the EU has a reduction target of 55 percent.
• The roadmap is part of the government's annual climate programme, which is a status report on fulfilment of the national climate targets. The climate programme is also published today.
• During the last two years decisions have been made and policies have been presented that ensure reductions corresponding to half of the needed in order to meet the 70% target in 2030. This leaves a reduction need of approx. 10 mio. tonnes of CO₂e in 2030
• Denmark has introduced a cutoff date of 2050 for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea, and decided to cancel all future licensing rounds.
• Denmark has presented a plan to build energy islands for gigantic offshore wind farms. The two islands have the potential to host a total minimum capacity of 12 GW.
• The analysis in the Climate Programme 2021 shows that there is a technical reduction potential of approx. 24-32 million tonnes of CO₂e in 2030.
• The analysis also shows that the reduction potential decreases over time, and that there is a need for rapid action and significant decisions towards 2025.
• The climate programme also includes an estimate of the costs of the 2030-target, which is estimated to be between 10 and 15 billion DKK annually in 2030.

Contact:
Press advisor, Emil Lee Madsen, emlma@kefm.dk, phone: +45 41 72 90 58