Learning from Denmark
This year is not the first year that Denmark earns recognition as the top ranked country on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI). Developed by Germanwatch, a non-profit and non-governmental organization based in Germany, the index points the spotlight on four key factors when assessing countries across the world on their climate action: greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, energy use, and climate policy. In 2024, Canada ranked 62nd in CCPI with an overall rating of “very low”...miles behind Denmark. How does this nordic country come up top year after year?
The reduction of greenhouse gases is a top priority for Denmark, particularity after the 2020 Climate Act was set into stone: by 2030, it aims to reduce Denmark's greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to 1990 levels, and the long-term objective is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 as per the Paris Agreement. The 70% reduction proves even more ambitious than the European Union’s reduction goal of 55% by 2030 and Canada’s 40% reduction goal over the same time period.
To support the Climate Act, Denmark became the first country to implement carbon dioxide taxes on livestock, announced in June 2024 to start in 2030. The country’s one-of-a-kind approach is further reflected in its construction of the world’s first “energy island”, a hub for 200 wind turbines, 80 kilometers from the coast. The completion of the project is expected by 2036, and the electricity provided is expected to benefit neighbouring countries as well. Other ways that Denmark has prompted green energy use is by allocating funding to electrifying rail infrastructure for green buses and implementing tax deduction for energy-efficient cars.
Beyond committing to the termination of its own oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, it should be noted that the impact of Denmark’s dedication to climate change has rippled beyond the country’s borders. Together with Costa Rica, it has spearheaded the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA), formed by 11 countries and launched after the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. “BOGA will help to spur momentum for countries to phase out their production of oil and gas while creating a clean energy economy,” explained Danish Climate Minister Dan Jørgensen.
In 2022, the country took another pivotal step in its international involvement: Denmark dedicated 100 million Danish crowns (€13.4 million) to serve nations damaged by the effects of climate change “It is grossly unfair that the world's poorest should suffer the most from the consequences of climate change to which they have contributed the least,” declared Flemming Møller Mortensen Denmark's development minister regarding this unprecedented financial commitment to ‘loss and damage’ due to climate change.
Although Denmark is 200 times smaller than Canada, there’s a lot we can learn from this pioneer in climate solutions. “If Denmark disappeared tomorrow, the carbon reduction might not even register,” admitted Jørgensen in an interview with Yale University. “So why do we spend so much time and resources on transforming ourselves? Because we want to be a frontrunner; we want to show the world that you can have a decarbonized economy that is wealthy and provides its people with a high quality of life.”
Works Cited
Image link (from Pixabay): https://pixabay.com/photos/copenhagen-christianshavn-harbour-4054563/
Batini, Nicoletta, and Miguel Segoviano. “Denmark’s Ambitious Green Vision.” IMF, January 11, 2021. https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2021/01/11/denmarks-green-vision-a-model-for-other-countries.
BBC News. “Denmark Set to End All New Oil and Gas Exploration.” December 4, 2020, sec. Business. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55184580.
BBC News. “Denmark to Build ‘First Energy Island’ in North Sea.” February 4, 2021, sec. Europe. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55931873.
Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance. “Who We Are,” n.d. https://beyondoilandgasalliance.org/who-we-are/.
Climate Change Performance Index. “Countries | Climate Change Performance Index,” n.d. https://ccpi.org/countries/.
Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities. “At COP26, 11 National and Subnational Governments Launch the beyond Oil & Gas Alliance,” 2021. https://www.en.kefm.dk/news/news-archive/2021/nov/at-cop26-11-national-and-subnational-governments-launch-the-beyond-oil-and-gas-alliance.
Frost, Rosie. “Denmark Becomes First to Pledge Funding for Climate ‘Loss and Damage.’” euronews, September 21, 2022. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/09/21/denmark-becomes-first-country-to-pay-for-loss-and-damage-from-climate-change.
Government of Canada. “2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy.” www.canada.ca. Government of Canada, March 29, 2022. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview/emissions-reduction-2030.html.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. “Global Climate Action Strategy.” UM-ENEN, 2024. https://um.dk/en/foreign-policy/new-climate-action-strategy.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Invest In Denmark. “Denmark Is the First Country in the World to Introduce Carbon Tax on Livestock Farming,” 2024. https://investindk.com/insights/denmark-is-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-introduce-carbon-tax-on-livestock-farming.
State of Green. “Costa Rica and Denmark Launch Alliance to Phase out Oil and Gas,” n.d. https://stateofgreen.com/en/news/costa-rica-and-denmark-launch-alliance-to-phase-out-oil-and-gas/.
State of Green. “Denmark Ranks Highest on the Climate Change Performance Index,” March 19, 2024. https://stateofgreen.com/en/news/denmark-ranks-highest-on-the-climate-change-performance-index/.
www.ccacoalition.org. “Denmark | Climate & Clean Air Coalition,” n.d. https://www.ccacoalition.org/partners/denmark.
Yale School of Environment. “Why Denmark Wants to Be a ‘Frontrunner’ in the Fight against Climate Change.” Yale School of the Environment, September 28, 2021. https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/why-denmark-wants-to-be-a-frontrunner-in-fight-against-climate-change.
