Denmark's climate action strategy

Denmark is legally bound to reach climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1) and deliver a 70 % greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction by 2030 compared with 1990. Denmark accounts for 1.4 % of the EU's net GHG emissions, and achieved a net emissions reduction of 44.7 % from 2005 to 2023, greater than the 30.5 % EU average reduction over the same period. Emissions from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS) were more than halved (-66 %). Denmark's land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector has historically been an emissions source, but in 2022 and 2023 it delivered a small sink function. For the effort-sharing sectors, Denmark over-achieved on its targets for 2020, but will need additional measures to reach the updated 2030 obligations. With its 2023 REPowerEU chapter and 2024 changes to its recovery and resilience plan (NRRP), Denmark has further increased its climate spending. Denmark submitted a draft updated national energy and climate plan (NECP) on 3 July 2023. The European Commission assessed it, making recommendations for the final updated NECP, submitted on 30 June 2024. In a 2023 survey, 74 % of Danes, compared with a 46 % EU average, identified climate change to be one of the four most serious problems facing the world. Most expect national government (77 %) and/or the EU (75 %) to tackle climate change, while 54 % find it to be a personal responsibility.