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EU methane regulation under renewed pressure: Denmark should cement our ambitious position

While Denmark and large parts of the rest of Europe are currently experiencing a severe heat wave, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with the support of nine additional EU member states, are now trying to postpone key parts of the EU's Methane Regulation until 2029. This will take place at a meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers on Friday, June 26, where newly appointed Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities Samira Nawa will participate on behalf of Denmark.

Postponing the regulatory requirements would be a serious setback for several reasons. Not only would it increase energy waste and thus weaken Europe's energy security, it would also mean that we lose a very cost-effective measure to tackle climate change here and now: reducing methane emissions in the energy sector.

Denmark will be hit particularly hard if the opponents get their way. We are one of the few EU member states where authorities and stakeholders have been proactive and implemented the regulation both ambitiously and in a timely manner. Contrary to Denmark's interests and the line that Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen has set for the rollout, Denmark, as a frontrunner, could thus be forced to roll back existing national legislation, while waiting countries are rewarded for their lack of implementation.

The 11 Member States' desire to postpone the regulation comes in the wake of implementation challenges and claims that the rules threaten energy security and impose unreasonable costs. Implementation challenges are, however, quite natural and must be resolved administratively. Similarly, recent analyses from both the International Energy Agency and the recognized analysis agency Rystad Energy, partly that methane reductions can strengthen energy security, and partly that there is ample compatible supply to meet the EU's energy demand.

With Samira Nawa representing Denmark's greenest government ever and a government foundation with a strong focus on energy security, the ministerial meeting is an important opportunity to cement Denmark's ambitious position: binding rules across the EU, an ambitious implementation and clear, cost-effective framework.

Read the call from the Green Transition Council and 27 European organizations to the European Commission and EU energy ministers to stay the course and continue the planned implementation of the EU Methane Regulation below:

Letter to the Commission and EU energy ministers

By |2026-06-26T13:04:07+01:00June 26 2026|Comment|Comments closed EU methane regulation under renewed pressure: Denmark should cement our ambitious position
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The electricity grid must adapt to a new reality if we are to be independent of external energy

Denmark is in the middle of government negotiations, where the direction of both the green transition and Denmark's security of supply is being undermined. At the same time, Denmark is facing three acute realities. An electricity grid under pressure. A green transition, which risks moving too slowly. And an energy system that remains too dependent on imported fuels. These are not three separate challenges. They are one overall problem that requires one overall solution.

Denmark needs to become a green electrostat, where we not only produce more renewable energy, but also manage to use it wisely and efficiently throughout the energy system. As wind and solar take up more space, the character of the energy system is changing. Production is becoming more fluctuating, and the value of electricity increasingly depends on when it is used. Therefore, flexibility, storage and intelligent interaction between sectors are becoming crucial. It is no longer enough to produce green electricity. We must be able to use it when it is there and do without it when it is not. In practice, this means that the energy system must be able to handle both hours of very high production and periods of low production. Without the necessary flexibility, we will either waste green electricity or have to maintain expensive backup capacity. Flexibility and storage are therefore not a supplement to it. green transition. It is a prerequisite.

It is about being able to shift consumption in time, store energy across hours and days and, increasingly, also connect sectors together. When electricity, heat, transport and industry are thought of as one integrated system, new opportunities arise to balance energy much more efficiently than if the sectors were developed separately. Local energy use also becomes crucial in this context. When electricity can be used close to where it is produced, the load on the electricity grid can be reduced, especially if consumption can also be moved away from peak loads. This frees up capacity and makes the energy system both cheaper and more robust. The sectors that can combine electrification with flexibility and storage as well as local energy production will therefore be central to the energy system of the future.

District heating is a clear example of a central player in the energy system of the future, because it can use electricity on a large scale when there is plenty of it and reduce its consumption when there is a shortage. At the same time, district heating can store energy in large “heating batteries”, which is already an integrated part of the energy system. However, district heating does not stand alone. A robust energy system requires the interaction of several solutions. Industrial flexibility, Power-to-X, batteries and intelligent management of consumption solve different tasks and can play a role in making a system based on wind and solar work.

If Denmark is to be less dependent on imported energy, it does not just require more green power. It requires an energy system that can operate stably on its own resources, while at the same time exploiting strong collaborations and electricity connections to our neighbouring countries. This means a system based on wind and solar, where security of supply depends on our ability to balance production and consumption. Energy independence is therefore a question of system design, which is increasingly about how we use the electricity grid.

Denmark is facing an acute bottleneck in the transmission grid, where the demand for grid connection far exceeds the available capacity. More than eight times Denmark's total electricity consumption is queuing up for the grid. At the same time, the way we allocate capacity is not geared to the reality we are facing. Energinet has therefore been forced to put everything on hold until an emergency package is in place. There is no doubt that the grid must be significantly expanded in the coming years, and that the pace of expansion must be increased. But expansion alone is not enough. When the demand for grid connection exceeds capacity so significantly, we also need to prioritize how the existing capacity is used.

Today, allocation is largely based on first-come, first-served basis and project maturity. This is a model from a time when the electricity grid was not a scarce resource. But it is today. The consequence is that capacity risks being tied up in projects that do not contribute to flexibility or security of supply, while solutions with high system value are delayed. Without clear prioritization, we risk an energy system where investments are delayed, green power is not optimally utilized, and companies have to wait for years for grid connection. This will not only slow down the green transition, but also weaken Denmark's competitiveness. When the electricity grid is a scarce resource, it must also be prioritized as one. This means that we must make choices. Not all projects can get access at the same time. And not all projects should have the same right to unlimited grid capacity at all hours.

Therefore, capacity should be targeted at solutions that make the energy system more robust. Solutions that can take power when it is there, store energy and reduce the need for expensive grid expansion. In other words, projects should be assessed on their contribution to flexibility, security of supply and efficient use of green power. Here, electrification of heat, industrial flexibility and other forms of system integration play a key role. If Denmark is to succeed in the next phase of the green transition, therefore, a new approach to the electricity grid is required. Scarce capacity should not be distributed randomly. It should be used where it creates the greatest social value. This means that a national prioritization framework should be introduced, where projects are assessed based on their contribution to flexibility, system value, local energy use, CO2 reduction and better utilization of existing grid capacity. At the same time, a clear prioritization category should be established for socially critical electrification, including electrification of district heating. Tariffs and connection conditions must support flexible electricity consumption to a much greater extent. Today, they do not sufficiently reflect the value it provides for the electricity system when consumption can be shifted in time.

Denmark has a strong starting point. We have renewable energy, we have the technologies, and we have companies and sectors that are already driving development forward. We know what it takes to build an energy system based on wind and solar with high security of supply. The question is whether we design the electricity grid so that it supports that development. The new government should therefore ensure that scarce electricity grid capacity is used where it creates the greatest social value, including for green heating and socially critical electrification. Tariffs and connection conditions must support flexible electricity consumption to a greater extent so that green power is used efficiently. At the same time, the electricity grid must be expanded more proactively, but in a way where expansion goes hand in hand with better utilization of existing capacity.

Denmark has both a capacity problem in the electricity grid and a prioritization problem. And without clear priorities, we risk exacerbating both. Therefore, the next phase of energy policy should not only be about more electricity production and more electricity grid. It should be about a more intelligent, flexible and economically efficient electricity system, where we use the existing infrastructure better before we uncritically build more. Energy independence does not just require more power. It requires that we use the electricity grid as the scarce and valuable resource that it is.

This opinion piece was published in Jyllands-Posten on May 2, 2026, and was written by Maj Baltzarsen, deputy director of the Brundtland Think Tank, Christian Ibsen, director of CONCITO, Brian Vad Mathiesen, professor at Aalborg University, Kim Mortensen, director of Danish District Heating, Henrik Garver, director of FRI – consulting engineers, and Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor to the Green Transition Denmark.

By |2026-05-04T08:26:53+01:002 May 2026|OP-ED|Comments closed The electricity grid must adapt to a new reality if we are to be independent of external energy.
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Black clouds over EU methane regulation – Denmark's efforts can break the cloud cover

Denmark's ambitious and proactive implementation of the EU's methane regulation can set a crucial precedent for a harmonized implementation across the EU. Denmark has shown that regulation is feasible. But without active defense of regulation, we risk throwing the baby out with the bathwater and thereby losing one of our fastest and most effective means of achieving our reduction goals and slowing global temperature increases.

Right now, the risk is that harmonisation will be a knee-jerk reaction to the lowest common denominator. This is because the Commission's official guidelines for implementation are still pending, while regulation is once again a model for significant pressure for deregulation and simplification. 

The EU itself describes the methane regulation as one of the most important climate laws, as it addresses emissions of methane, which is a short-lived but extremely potent greenhouse gas. So potent, in fact, that it warms the climate more than 80 times as much as CO2 over 20 years – which is why methane reductions also constitute the climate's emergency brake. 

Therefore, it is bad news when the pressure for deregulation continues. In the past week, five EU member states, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, have demanded that the regulation be postponed by two years. At the same time, the US ambassador to the EU claims in a recently published article in the Financial Times that the regulation could lead to a new energy crisis. The claim that methane regulation threatens Europe's energy security is also made by certain parts of the oil and gas industry and individual member states. Several analyze However, it shows that this is a fallacy. On the contrary, diluting regulation right now will only disrupt an already volatile energy market. and create instability for investors. Back in October 2025 urged 44 institutional investors, which together represent more than 4,85 trillion euros, therefore the EU summit to maintain the regulation.

The pressure comes before a expert group meeting for methane regulation this week. Here the Commission and the member states met to discuss and presumably standardize key elements of the regulation, including guidelines for fines and verification, which are under great pressure to be diluted. 

Denmark has done exemplary and proactive work with the implementation, meets all deadlines and actively contributes implementation experiences to the Commission and other member states. At the same time, Denmark's former Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jørgensen, as Commissioner for Energy and Housing, now has the main responsibility for the rollout of the regulation. He has made it clear that he believes the energy crisis will be the ultimate boost to the green transition, and he appeals to the member states to ensure just this from Brussels. With one of the EU's most important climate policies under pressure under the guise of energy security, Denmark's exemplary implementation should stand as a guiding star. A future Danish government can proudly lean into the thorough work of the Danish Energy Agency and cement Denmark's role as a green pioneer.

By |2026-05-05T11:59:03+01:0030. April 2026|Comment|Comments closed to Black clouds over EU methane regulation – Denmark's efforts can break the cloud cover
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Joint appeal to EU leaders from 26 international NGOs: Stay the course in implementing the EU Methane Regulation

Denmark is one of very few member states to have implemented the EU Methane Regulation both in a timely and ambitious manner, and the Danish methane law and executive order serve as inspiration for other countries. It sets a high but pragmatic standard with a focus on harmonisation across member states. At the same time, all member states are still awaiting the Commission's official guidelines, and in the vacuum where pressure on regulation continues to increase from many sides, Denmark's exemplary implementation should serve as a precedent so that the important harmonisation does not risk becoming a race towards the bottom. 

The EU itself calls the Methane Regulation one of the most important climate legislation in recent times, as it limits emissions from the extremely potent greenhouse gas methane, which, measured over a 20-year period, warms the atmosphere more than 80 times as much as CO2. 

But in recent months, the EU's regulation of methane emissions in the energy sector has once again come under intense pressure for deregulation from, among others, the US government, the fossil fuel and gas industry and individual EU member states. This is problematic because the regulation is central to limiting emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane and, not least, ensuring the EU's energy security in a time of geopolitical unrest. 

Therefore, the Green Transition Council, together with 25 international NGOs, calls on EU leaders to stay on track and ensure timely implementation of the regulation in line with its ambitions. Here, it is obvious to look to Denmark, which has shown that ambition on paper can also be translated into practice.

In the joint call, we emphasize that reopening or delaying regulation will only create further uncertainty at a time when the energy system is already under significant pressure. At the same time, it will undermine investors' confidence in regulation as a means to reduce risks in investment portfolios and support decarbonization goals.

When advocates of deregulation claim that supply pressures and the resulting price increases are due to the requirements of the EU Methane Regulation, this is a misdiagnosis. The fluctuations we are currently seeing are a direct consequence of geopolitical shocks such as the war in Iran and the accompanying destruction of energy infrastructure. Rather, the regulation supports the EU’s energy security by creating transparency and predictability – and any methane reduction that compliance with its requirements ensures is equal to captured gas. For example, the International Energy Agency estimates that methane reductions could have secured as much as 100 billion cubic meters of gas by 2024 – comparable to Qatar’s annual exports of liquefied natural gas.

The Commission and the Member States must therefore ensure a continued ambitious implementation of the Regulation and refrain from actions that delay or dilute it. This is necessary to mitigate climate change, ensure reduction targets and strengthen security of supply.

Read the invitation below:

Joint NGO letter: Methane transparency as a pillar of EU energy security

By |2026-04-22T08:22:42+01:0022. April 2026|Comment|Comments closed to Joint appeal to EU leaders from 26 international NGOs: Stay the course in implementing the EU Methane Regulation
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The 2030 target is at risk: The Climate Council's status requires concrete action and a deal with overly positive assumptions

The Climate Council's status report provides a serious and necessary reminder that Denmark has no longer made it likely that the 2030 target will be achieved. The Council points out that several planned measures have not yet been implemented at the necessary pace. At the same time, the Climate Council emphasizes the need for a plan B if the targets are to remain credible.

This is worrying. According to the Danish Climate Council, when emissions in 2030 are higher than the government's climate projection from 2025 shows, it is mainly because the government's CCS tender appears to deliver fewer reductions than expected, and because the projections underestimate emissions from a number of areas, including agriculture, farmland and refineries. The Danish Green Transition Denmark believes that this calls for political action that ensures actual reductions rather than relying on optimistic assumptions.

Less technological one-sidedness and greater robustness in the energy system
The Climate Council points to challenges in connection with the CCS tenders and recommends a broader approach to support and instruments. Green Transition Denmark shares the assessment that Denmark must not become dependent on individual technologies, and that subsidies for transition elements other than CCS can be advantageously brought forward. Electrification and direct reductions should be the main path in a structural, long-term transformation. 

Stopping wood burning strengthens climate accounting
The Climate Council also highlights the need to strengthen net removals in the LULUCF sector and manage bioresources carefully. Green Transition Denmark further recommends a stop to the burning of wood for electricity and district heating from 2030. 

The use of Danish wood directly affects Denmark's climate accounts through the carbon balance in the forests. A stop will improve the climate accounts in the years after 2030 and contribute to raising the reduction level towards 2035. It reduces the need for uncertain compensation solutions and strengthens the transition to an energy system based on fossil-free electricity from wind and solar.

Uncertainties about potent methane require a national plan
The Climate Council points to uncertainties in several sectors, including agriculture and land use. A significant part of these uncertainties relates to underestimates of emissions and leaks from biogas production, manure management and livestock farming, all of which are associated with methane emissions.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with a large short-term climate impact, which, measured over a 20-year period, warms the planet more than 80 times as much as CO2, and even small increases can have an impact on future climate goals. Similarly, reductions have a fast-acting effect on global warming and short-term climate goals.

The Council ofr Green Switchg therefore recommends that the government present a comprehensive national plan for methane reduction with measurement requirements, tighter methane limits and regulation of the entire biogas chain. A national methane reduction plan will also be a key element in concretizing the path towards meeting the climate target for 2035, as the Climate Council recommends the government do. Reducing uncertainties requires measuring and managing methane emissions much more systematically, and requires transforming agriculture towards less livestock production and more plant-based food production. 

The Climate Council's status report shows that Denmark cannot afford to let goal achievement rest on optimistic assumptions. Ambitious climate goals require timely implementation, a real Plan B and prioritization of solutions that directly strengthen the climate accounts.

By |2026-02-26T14:04:02+01:0026. February 2026|Comment|Comments closed to the 2030 target is at risk: The Climate Council's status requires concrete action and a deal with overly positive assumptions
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Denmark's targeted implementation of the EU's Methane Regulation is a guiding light for the rest of the EU

Reducing methane emissions in the energy sector is one of the most effective tools to reduce global temperature increases, the UN concludes in Global Methane Status Report (2025)In order to eliminate methane emissions in the energy sector, the EU has drawn up en Methane Regulation, which entered into force on 4 August 2024. 

In a time of great pressure for deregulation, Denmark's leading implementation of the Methane Regulation sets an exemplary standard, says Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor at the Green Transition Denmark. 

"The Danish work to implement the requirements of the EU Methane Regulation here is highly exemplary. And it serves as concrete evidence that it can "It is possible to put ambitious rules into practice so that we can reduce climate-damaging methane emissions," she continues.

Leakage and import requirements

Internally within the EU, the Regulation requires, among other things, that operators detect and repair methane leaks from, for example, drilling platforms (so-called leak detection and repair (LDAR)). And from 2027, import requirements will be imposed on the energy that the EU receives outside the union. The import requirements mean that importers of oil, gas and coal − in order to comply with the Regulation − must, among other things, document what measures the exporters of that energy have taken to monitor, report and verify methane emissions associated with production and to detect and repair methane leaks. 

Denmark's timely and ambitious implementation has been highlighted as best practices of the European umbrella organization  Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, especially with regard to our sanctions regime. 

Green Transition Denmark has sent letters to Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen (S), who has the regulation as part of his area of ​​responsibility, and Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard (M), acknowledging Denmark's efforts in implementing the Methane Regulation in a very ambitious manner.
See below:

Letter to Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard (M)
Letter to Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen (S)

By |2026-02-18T13:33:11+01:0017. February 2026|News|Comments closed Denmark's targeted implementation of the EU's Methane Regulation is a guiding star for the rest of the EU
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The EU overestimates the effect of BECCS and Pyrolysis

The European Commission hasThe Commission is expected to adopt a delegated act soon with methods for quantifying negative emissions generated via BECCS (biomass-fired power plants with CCS), biochar and DACCS (atmospheric CO2 capture and storage). The Commission's methods for BECCS and biochar determine that the amount of negative emissions roughly corresponds to the amount of permanently stored CO2, respectively carbon in biochar. However, the scope is adjusted downwards with emissions from the construction of capture plants, the transport of raw materials, CO2, and biochar, as well as any leakages.

In this webinar, held on December 16, we delved into three Danish analyses – which have independently of the EU and each other sought to calculate the extent of negative emissions from BECCS and biochar. What these analyses have in common is that they indicate a lower extent of negative emissions and a delay thereof, compared to what the Commission is expected to adopt.

It is important to establish and promote a debate about the actual climate effects of the two technologies, otherwise we risk misinvestment. Denmark has allocated a lot of funds to carbon capture, including BECCS, and pyrolysis, which largely happened without any debate about the effects thereof.

Watch or re-watch the presentations from the webinar below:

Niclas Scott Bentsen, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences and Nature Management, University of Copenhagen
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See slides from Niclas' presentation here..

Magnus Bo Karlsson, PhD student, Department of Humanities and Technology, Roskilde University
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See slides from Magnus' presentation here..

Erik Tang, Senior Consultant, Green Transition Denmark
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Moderator: Erik Tang, senior consultant at the Green Transition Denmark.

Financed with a grant from the European Council. Responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.

By |2026-02-19T09:46:37+01:0018. December 2025|Article|Comments closed to the EU overestimates the effect of BECCS and Pyrolysis
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Methane reductions are our lifeline to limit global temperature increases

Text by Martin Benny Pedersen and photos by Ronja Scherfig 

Methane is responsible for about 30 percent of global warming today. In contrast to CO2, which has an atmospheric lifetime of several hundred years, methane breaks down in 10-12 years, but is 80 times more potent over a period of 20 years. Therefore, methane reductions today can significantly slow global warming already this decade. 

That was the focus of the Green Transition Denmark's methane conference, which we held in the Social Democrats' group room at Christiansborg on Wednesday, November 26. Together with researchers, politicians, investors and civil society, we focused on methane reductions in the agricultural and energy sectors as one of the most effective tools to achieve our short-term climate goals and on Denmark's opportunity to take international leadership. 

The moderator at the conference was journalist Anja Bo. 

Introduction

Malte Larsen (S), chairman of the Danish Parliament's Climate, Energy and Utilities Committee, welcomed the participants to the conference, which he hosted.

Framing: Why focus on methane right now? 

Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor at the Danish Green Transition Denmark, then framed the conference by explaining why it is so important to focus on methane right now. She pointed out that we are on the verge of exceeding the Paris Agreement's 1,5-degree target with a global temperature increase of between 2,3-2,5 degrees by the year 2100, and that we are facing a number of climatic tipping points. Because methane has such a fast atmospheric decomposition time, methane reductions can limit warming by 0,2 degrees by 2050, and by reducing methane's contribution to the formation of ground-level ozone – and thus air pollution – we can prevent 180.000 premature deaths and 19 million tons of crop losses annually by 2030 on a global scale. At the same time, the Global Methane Pledge states that methane must be reduced by 30 percent by 2030. compared to 2020, but under current global policies, methane concentrations will increase by 5 percent in 2030. 

“The more concerned we are about global warming in the short term, the more we need to reduce methane emissions” – Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor at the Green Transition Denmark

Why is methane the key to rapid climate reductions?

Following Britt's framework, Jesper Riis Christiansen, associate professor at the Department of Geosciences and Nature Management at the University of Copenhagen, took the stage.. Jesper is a researcher to this dayespecially in where efficient extraction of shallow waterlands and forestsCooling is a climate solution in DenmarkIn his presentation told Jesper about methane properties as a greenhouse gas, including that it is dynamic, which means that it responds quickly to human activitiesTherefore, methane reductions today can slow down global temperature increases in the short term. Likewise pointed Jasper, that the most effective reduction right now is to stop industrial methane leaks, but that agricultural emissions must also be reduced, although these are more complex. In agriculture, CO2-emissions from low-lying soils 1/3 of the sector's total emissions, og This is precisely why the removal of low-lying soils is a key climate measure. After the wetting of low-lying soils, methane emissions increase immediately, but so does the system's ability to absorb net CO2 notTherefore, it takes time before the methane effect is neutralized af increased CO2-record in it wet-laid areaMethane is therefore the key to how fast and effective wet laying is for the climate impact of the removal of low-lying soils in the Green Triangle.

“The fact that methane responds quickly to human activities is good, as it can slow down warming” – Jesper Riis Christiansen, Associate Professor at the Department of Geosciences and Nature Management, Forest and Landscape Ecology, University of Copenhagen

Methane reductions in the agricultural sector 

Christian Ege Jørgensen, senior consultant at the Danish Green Transition Denmark, then set the stage for the subsequent panel debate on reductions in agriculture by providing an overview of agricultural emissions and available reduction instruments. He emphasized that there is a need for a wide range of measures, including preventive measures such as increased cultivation of plant products for human consumption and a more plant-based diet – both in Denmark and for export, so that we can develop and future-proof Danish agriculture. He emphasized that reductions cannot be achieved with feed additives such as Bovaer alone.

 

How can agriculture reduce emissions?

The following panel debate was attended by Frank Willem Oudshoorn, chief researcher, dr.ir., at the Innovation Center for Organic Agriculture, Hans Roust Thysen, climate manager at Agriculture & Food, and Sophie Hastrup Christensen, chief agricultural policy consultant at the Danish Society for Animal Protection. 

There was broad agreement in the panel that we (continue) to address methane emissions from agriculture, which in 2024 accounted for a full 83 percent of Denmark's total methane emissions. Frank particularly highlighted organic farming as a solution, as organic farming involves different manure management. Studies from the Netherlands and Denmark also show that grazing cows emit less methane than cows in stables. Hans pointed out that organic farming is just a of the of the solution, as according to him it is about bringing all the instruments we have into play, and that we handle the risks associated with these without being paralyzed by action. In this context, Sophie stressed the importance of conducting animal welfare assessments for all climate measures that involve animals. 

Hans further emphasized that methane emissions from the cows' digestive processes can be reduced by, among other things, letting them age and by frequently dropping manure into deep bedding, and that biosolutions can also be a means of action. He appealed that "you should listen twice as much as you talk". 

Sophie first highlighted that the food system is responsible for five out of the seven planetary boundaries that have been exceeded, which requires us to think in terms of systemic solutions and fundamentally confront the production structure we see today. She referred to figures from the Climate Council showing that Danish agriculture in 2020 covered the protein needs of minus seven million people – a result of the large animal production in Denmark, which means that 75 percent of Danish agricultural land is used to grow feed for livestock. At the same time, she expressed concern about the development we see today, where, among other things, attempts are being made to change the biology of the cow rather than the system itself. She concluded with a call for the EU to rethink agricultural support so that it rewards farmers who contribute to common goods and animal welfare, but at the same time with an appeal that we do not pull the rug out from under agriculture. 

Methane reductions in the energy sector 

After a short break, we started the second part of the conference, where Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor at the Danish Council for the Green Transition, focused on the EU's Methane Regulation from 2024, which covers both EU production and imports. Britt then gave an overview of Danish methane emissions from the energy sector; here, residential areas and energy-related activities from agriculture, forestry and fishing account for the majority of emissions at 33 percent, followed by public electricity and heat production and methane leaks from oil and gas products, which account for 30 and 29 percent respectively.

Britt concluded by focusing on dea threat, makes Methanethe ordinance right now is up against from especially you wereThe lobby and the trade agreement that the EU concluded with the US in July 2025. The US is pressing namely on weakening import requirements, and that pressure could lead to deregulation in the EU. At the same time, there has been a significant increase in negative lobbying activity after the EU presented 'Roadmap to Phase out Russian Gas'.

This pressure is problematic, as methane reductions in the energy sector are the most cost-effective climate action, according to the UN Environment Programme, that provide quick and measurable results. At the same time, eroding the regulation risks more expensive and slower reductions – and thus a weakened climate contribution – as well as more energy waste, which weakens security of supply. Britt therefore appealed that methane reductions in the energy sector should not be undermined.

The EU Methane Regulation and Denmark's implementation thereof

To provide more information about the Methane Regulation and Denmark's implementation of this – the first full implementation in the EU – we were visited by the Danish Energy Agency, represented by Ebru Berra Ekici, the representative. The Danish Energy Agency acts as Denmark's competent authority, supervising and controlling that operators and importers comply with the regulation, and the agency also shares knowledge with other countries regarding how, following Denmark's example, rules can be set that supplement the Methane Regulation. Through laws and executive orders on supplementary provisions to the regulation, Denmark has laid down rules on, among other things, sanctions for failure to comply with the regulation. Among other things, the financial benefit obtained as a result of any failure to comply with the regulation may be confiscated.

 

How can Denmark maintain its leading position and ensure effective reductions? 

The final panel debate was attended by Henrik Frandsen, climate, energy and supply spokesperson for the Moderates, Søren Egge Rasmussen, energy, supply and agriculture spokesperson for the Unity Party, Renée Tengberg, ESG Director, Climate and Nature, Responsible Investments at Nordea Asset Management, and Jesper Riis Christiansen, associate professor, Department of Geosciences and Nature Management, Forest and Landscape Ecology at the University of Copenhagen. 

There were, among other things, appeals for the Methane Regulation to remain intact, as it is important to ensure stability for investors, that we in Denmark and Europe maintain the level of ambition, and that we address the cost-effective measures. Along the way, technology to detect methane emissions was also highlighted - such as the satellite 'MethaneSAT' and the aircraft 'MethaneAIR'. There were also discussions about whether biogas should be part of the solution.

Green Transition Denmark recommends: Denmark should prepare a national methane reduction plan

Britt Dam concluded the conference by emphasizing that Denmark, as a green pioneer, has a special responsibility to maintain and defend the Methane Regulation in the EU, as we are the first member state to have implemented the regulation – and thereby shown that it is practically possible. At the same time, Denmark was a co-signatory of the Global Methane Pledge, led by former Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jørgensen, who is currently responsible for maintaining the regulation's ambition as Commissioner for Energy and Housing. 

In a Danish context, we should translate the regulation into a strategic tool with concrete plans and targets for methane reductions of 40-45 percent via the preparation of a national methane reduction plan – as signatories of the Global Methane Pledge are encouraged to prepare. We should prevent methane emissions in agriculture by having fewer livestock and more plant-based production, and in the energy sector we should stop oil and gas production in the North Sea by 2040 and present a phase-out plan for gas boilers with a final stop in 2035. 

Finally, Britt called for us to incorporate the 20-year perspective into climate policy. 

Download PowerPoints in PDF format on the right side of the page. 

The conference program can be seen here: Conference: Methane Reductions: Our Lifeline to Limit Global Temperature Rises?

Funded with grants from the European Commission and Deutsche UmwelthilfeThe responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.

By |2025-12-20T15:35:56+01:009. December 2025|Article|Comments closed Methane reductions are our lifeline to limit global temperature increases
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Methane reductions: Our lifeline to limit global temperature increases?

Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Time: 12:00-15:00
Place: Social Democratic Party group room, Christiansborg
Host: Malte Larsen (S), chairman of the Danish Parliament's Climate, Energy and Utilities Committee
Moderator: Anja Bo, journalist

Methane is responsible for about 30 percent of global warming today. In contrast to CO2, which has an atmospheric lifetime of several hundred years, methane breaks down in 10-12 years, but is 80 times more potent over a period of 20 years. Therefore, methane reductions today can significantly slow global warming already this decade.

At COP26 in 2021, Denmark signed the 'Global Methane Pledge' – a global pledge to reduce methane by at least 30 percent by 2030 compared to 2020, including the preparation of national methane reduction plans. At the same time, the EU launched the world's first regulation in 2024 to address methane emissions in the energy sector. Denmark is the first member state to have fully implemented this.

On this occasion, the Green Transition Denmark brings together researchers, politicians, investors and civil society to focus on methane reductions as one of the most effective tools to achieve our short-term climate goals – and on Denmark's opportunity to take international leadership.

See the conference program below, or download on the right side of the page.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

12:00-12: 10 – Welcome 
v. Malte Larsen (S), chairman of the Danish Parliament's Climate, Energy and Utilities Committee, and Anja Bo, moderator 

12:10-12:15 – Framework: Why do we need to talk about methane now? 
v. Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor, Green Transition Denmark 

12:15-12:35 – Why is methane the key to rapid climate reductions? 
v. Jesper Riis Christiansen, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences and Nature Management, Forest and Landscape Ecology, University of Copenhagen

METHANE REDUCTIONS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

12:35-13:30 – Panel debate: How can agriculture reduce methane emissions? 
Perspectives and methods from conventional and organic agriculture as well as animal welfare

  • Frank Willem Oudshoorn, chief researcher, dr.ir., Innovation Center for Organic Agriculture
  • Hans Roust Thysen, climate manager, Agriculture & Food
  • Sophie Hastrup Christensen, Chief Agricultural Policy Consultant, Animal Welfare 

13:30-13: 45 - Pause

METHANE REDUCTIONS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR 

13:45-14:00 – Presentation: Methane reductions in the energy sector – a cost-effective path to rapid reductions 
v. Britt Dam, climate and energy advisor, Green Transition Denmark and

Ebru Berra Ekici, clerk/legal officer at the Danish Energy Agency, who wants to share experiences on Danish implementation of the EU's methane regulation – Denmark as the first member state to have fully implemented it.

14:00-14:45 – Panel debate: Denmark's role in global methane reductions 
How can Denmark maintain its leading position and ensure effective reductions? 

  • Henrik Frandsen (M), climate, energy and supply spokesman
  • Jesper Riis Christiansen, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences and Nature Management, Forest and Landscape Ecology, University of Copenhagen
  • Renée Tengberg, ESG Director, Climate and Nature, Responsible Investments – Nordea Asset Management
  • Soren Egge Rasmussen (EL), Energy, Utilities and Agriculture Rapporteur 

14:45-15:00 – Rounding off and summarizing v. Green Transition Denmark

By |2025-11-25T08:37:04+01:0024 November 2025|News|Comments closed to Methane Reductions: Our Lifeline to Limit Global Temperature Rises?
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Summary of the Conference on Pesticides, PFAS and the Protection of the Aquatic Environment in the EU

Text by Martin Benny Pedersen and photos by Ronja Scherfig 

In Denmark, pesticide residues were detected in more than half of the drinking water wells in 2024, approximately half of the country's area is sprayed each year, and both pesticide consumption and sales have increased since 2014. This is a problem, because, although pesticides protect crops against weeds, insects and fungi, they also cause a loss of biodiversity, pollute soil, air and water, and thus threaten both ecosystems and public health.   

This was the theme of the conference 'Reducing Pesticides, Eliminating PFAS Pesticides, Protecting Water: Denmark Leads the EU Presidency', which was held on 30 October in 'Proviantsalen' at Christiansborg Palace. 

The focus here was on questions such as: What does the Danish regulation of pesticides look like, and what initiatives has the Danish EU presidency launched to deal with PFAS pesticides that break down to trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)? What consequences do pesticides have for public health and biodiversity? What can pesticide reduction and protection of the aquatic environment look like in practice? And what sustainable alternatives to pesticides and interventions can be pursued? 

The conference was organised in collaboration with Pesticide Action Network Europe and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation. The moderators were Mikael Skou Andersen, professor at the Institute for Environmental Science at Aarhus University, and Nicoline Noe, planetary journalist.

Summary and Highlights from the Conference 

The conference was opened by host and MP Claus Jørgensen, environmental spokesperson for SF (Green Left). 

"We simply need to do more. We owe it to our children to fix this before it is too late" – Claus Jørgensen, environmental spokesperson for SF (Green Left)

After that Christian Ege Jørgensen,Senior Consultant in Green Transition Denmark, welcomed the participants with a call for more organic farming and a simultaneous improvement of conventional farming in terms ofreducing the use of pesticides, for example through the use of integrated pest management (IPM).

EU Action Against PFAS 

Klaus Berend, Director for Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation in the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) of the European Commission, participated via video link.

He spoke about the EU's pesticide regulation, the Commission's work with TFA, and what the Commission plans to do going forward in relation to PFAS active substances in pesticides and the work with the Sustainable Use Directive (SUD). Important points included, among others, that TFA can also be found in areas where pesticides are not used, but also comes from sewage, fertiliser, and rainwater.The Directorate-General for Environment has entered into an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish relevant PFAS pesticides in drinking water, and allow EU member states to change or revoke the approval of pesticides at any time, as Denmark has just done. 

"The future of plant protection in Europe must be much more biobased" – Klaus Berend from the European Commission

Lisbeth Knudsen, Professor in Experimental Toxicology at the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen, then gave a presentation on the effect of pesticides on public health. She told that besides pesticides in food, soil and water, glyphosates have been found in hares,and that pesticide residuesare increasingly found in active drinking water wells, and that TFA is also increasingly found in groundwater in Denmark.

Lisbeth Knudsen expressed, moreover, especially concern about the effect of pesticides on human reproduction , since in several studies by examinationof different pesticides, there has been found effects on this. Likewise,  she told about other studies that indicates associations between exposure to chemicals, including pesticides, with ADHD and autism,cancer and hormonal disorders. In conclusion, Lisbeth encouraged us to work better together by moving away from the silo thinking that, according to her,  can be found at both universities and in ministries .

"What worries us most is reproductive health impacts, decreased fertility and quality of children" – Lisbeth Knudsen from the University of Copenhagen

What Does the Legislation Say? 

Head of Department in the Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality Lea Frimann Hansen then spoke about Danish and European pesticide regulation. In addition to the recent Danish ban on 33 pesticides, she highlighted that during the Danish EU presidency an agreement has been reached to include TFA – a substance that has been found to a large extent in Danish groundwater wells – in the EU's updated Water Framework Directive as a pollutant that must be monitored in surface water. In relation to the ban on the 33 pesticides, she expects that the pesticide load indicator – a measure of the potential load on health, nature and groundwater from pesticides – will decrease in 2026.

Subsequently,  Angeliki Lyssimachou, Head of Science and Policy, in the co-organiser Pesticide Action Network Europe , held a presentation in which she noted that pesticide regulation in Europe is generally good, but that there are loopholes in the legislation.She labeled TFA a global threat and toldabout the organisation's own studies, including  that  TFA is found in surface, groundwater, tap and bottled water- much to the surprise of the participants -  increasing amounts of TFA have been detected in wine (sometimes 100 times higher than in water)– and that this coincides with the use of  PFAS-pesticidesin the late '90s .She also called for a halt to the export and import of EU-banned pesticides, because even after dangerous pesticides have been banned in Europe, the EU still allows their production for export to third countries with weaker protection legislation. Finally, she warned that regulatory simplification must not lead to deregulation.

"We need to strengthen the implementation of the EU pesticide regulation to protect health, not weaken it" – Angeliki Lyssimachou from Pesticide Action Network Europe

Groundwater Condition 

Dorte Skræm, Head of Drinking Water at DANVA (Danish Water and Wastewater Association), focused on the state of groundwater in Denmark and the Danish drinking water supply, which is 99,9 percent groundwater-based.  

She stressed the need for immediate action, otherwise we will face even greater challenges and costs. Dorte also presented a number of mapping of pesticides in Denmark and hotspots for TFA in Europe. The participants could see, among other things, that the limit values ​​for pesticides are exceeded across Denmark, and that TFA is found in many places in Europe - including in Denmark. Here, the limit values ​​for TFA are not exceeded, but according to Dorte, that picture will change, as the limit values ​​are continuously adjusted downwards as more knowledge becomes available.

"PFAS pesticides solved a problem, but created another one" – Dorte Skræm from DANVA

After Dorte's presentation, Rune Gjengedal, Manager at Hverringe Estate– a so-called 'IPM innovation farm'  - told about the farm's work with IPM, i.e. integrated pest management , which is a way, in which onecan reduce the use of pesticides within conventional agriculture . He talked about IPM tools, which include crop rotation, cultivation techniques, precision spraying as well as education and training.

In the last presentation, Beate Strandberg, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Ecoscience at Aarhus University,presented the effects of pesticides on biodiversity . Here,the message was clear: Pesticides affect the reproductive ability of plants and insects .

She reported that glyphosate reduces the number of flowers and delays flowering, and that more species flower earlier and longer at higher intensity in organic agriculture – where pesticides are not used. She also presented a German study that investigated pesticide exposure in insects in German Natura 2000 areas, where an average of 16,7 pesticides were found per sample. This means that pesticides are being spread to areas that are not agricultural land. Beate Strandberg ended her presentation with an appeal for ecological intensification. 

The conference concluded with a panel discussion on alternatives to plant protection. The following participated: 

Lea Frimann Hansen, Head of Department in the Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality, Angeliki Lyssimachou, Head of Science and Policy in Pesticide Action Network Europe, Rikke Lundsgaard, Senior Agricultural Policy Advisor in the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, Bo Lindhardt, Director of Water, IT & Automation at Novafos, Sybille Kyed, Head of Agriculture and Food Policy in Organic Denmark, and Rune Havgaard Sørensen, Head of Secretariat in the Danish Beekeepers Association.

Watch the panel discussion here..

 

(Re)view the recorded presentations below as well as PowerPoints in PDF format to the right on the page:

  • Claus Jørgensen, environmental spokesperson, SF (Green Left), and Christian Ege Jørgensen, Senior Consultant, Green Transition Denmark: See presentation
  • Klaus Berend, Director for Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), European Commission: See presentation
  • Lisbeth E. Knudsen, Professor in Experimental Toxicology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen: See presentation
  • Lea Frimann Hansen, Head of Department, the Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality: See presentation
  • Angeliki Lyssimachou, Head of Science and Policy, Pesticide Action Network Europe: See presentation
  • Dorte Skræm, Head of Drinking Water, DANVA (the Danish Water and Wastewater Association): See presentation
  • Rune Gjengedal, Manager, Hverringe Estate – practicing IPM (integrated pest management): See presentation
  • Beate Strandberg, Senior Researcher, Institute for Ecoscience – Biodiversity, Aarhus University: See presentation

The conference program can be seen here: Conference: Pesticides, PFAS and protection of the aquatic environment − Denmark at the forefront of the EU presidency 2025

The conference was organised by: 

Green Transition Denmark, Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation. 

Funded with grants from Europa-Nævnet and the VELUX FOUNDATION. Responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.

By |2025-12-18T10:46:52+01:0019 November 2025|Article|Comments closed for Summary at conference on pesticides, PFAS and protection of the aquatic environment in the EU
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