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So far Trine Hagen has created 93 blog entries.

The tripartite agreement secures nature and the sea, but fails by maintaining problematic animal production

The tripartite agreement is an important step in a greener direction and in the Green Transition Denmark we recognize that it has been a major task to reach a joint agreement on a Green Denmark.

"The negotiations have certainly not been an easy task, and we are happy to learn that Treparten has had a broad focus. The agreement delivers on nitrogen and nature with a new land fund as well as a far more tangible nitrogen regulation, which together seems to be able to ensure that we reach our nitrogen target in 2027 – this is very positive. Unfortunately, the CO2 tax is correspondingly lagging behind, as the floor deduction of 60% and large technology subsidies maintain the current intensive form of animal production," says Niklas Sjøbeck Jørgensen, senior advisor for Food and Bioresources at the Council for the Green Transition.

Green Transition Denmark would also like to see an increased pace and a greater incentive to switch to more plant-based food for people.

"We need faster phasing in and a strong incentive to make changes in what we produce - the so-called structural restructuring. This means that animal production, which burdens the environment and the climate, must be converted to natural areas or to plant-based production. Via the new land fund, we get 390.000 hectares of land taken out, corresponding to 15% of the agricultural area, but the incentive to move away from animal production does not appear in this agreement," says Niklas Sjøbeck Jørgensen.

In addition, the Green Transition Denmark is critical of the agreement's strong focus on technological means.

"The basic deduction will give farmers an incentive to use more technological means instead of completely switching production away from animal production that burdens the environment and climate. Therefore, it should be looked at whether the floor deduction can be adjusted downwards and phased out – this will provide an incentive to switch from animal production to plant production,” says Trine Langhede, Advisor for Food and Bioresources in the Green Transition Denmark.

"It is important that the technologies invested in, as part of the agreement, have a climate effect and do not have negative consequences for the environment, climate or animal welfare. For example, our calculations show that the climate effect is highly dependent on which biomass is used to make biochar, and that it may take over 40 years before pyrolysis has a positive climate effect. It is therefore unsustainable that the agreement takes as its starting point that pyrolysis can contribute significantly to achieving Denmark's climate goals as early as 2030 and towards 2045. Furthermore, it is extremely crucial that we are not unrealistic about which biomass is used to make biochar , as we will use biomass for many things in the future,” concludes Trine Langhede.

By |2024-06-27T10:01:26+01:00June 25 2024|Press release|Comments closed to the Tripartite Agreement secures nature and the sea, but fails by maintaining problematic animal production
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RGO has gained another strong board member

Esther has solid knowledge of climate change, green transition and, not least, green activism. In 2018, she helped initiate the Green Youth Movement, and in 2023 she helped start the Fossil-Free Future movement, which fights for a future where fossil fuels stay in the ground in accordance with current climate research and international agreements. She is also the author of the book 'Vi er sammen om att markdet' and former host of the program 'Ungdomsmagt' on radio 24syv.

"As a board member of the Green Transition Denmark, I will work to ensure that the many green organizations in Denmark support each other's work even better, so that we can create an even stronger green civil society across generations and demographics," said Esther Michelsen Kjeldahl in connection with the election to the board.

Esther takes over the board position from Peter Bach, who after many years as a board member of RGO has chosen to step down. In this connection, the secretariat and the board would like to thank Peter for his many years of commitment and contribution to the organisation's development, just as we would like to say a big welcome to Esther Kjeldahl.

Esther Michelsen Kjeldahl

By |2024-06-06T07:17:37+01:00June 6 2024|News|Comments closed to RGO has gained another strong board member
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Sign the new green pact for Europe's future - a green and social pact for the economy within the planetary boundaries

That is the main message in one new covenant, which the Green Transition Denmark has signed along with a number of European environmental organisations. The pact, drawn up under the leadership of the European Environmental Bureau in Brussels. At the same time, it is a clear call to vote green in the European Parliament elections this June.

It is important that many citizens, organizations and green front-runner companies sign the pact, which has 12 proposals for how we can solve the linked climate, biodiversity and pollution crises, which cause concern from the future. The pact recommends that the EU sets a new course in the next five years: a deep ecological restructuring of the economy away from dependence on fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy, circular economy and organic food production.

A green alternative to the industry's Antwerp Declaration
The green future pact will be handed over to the next EU summit in mid-June, when the heads of state and government meet. The Green Pact is also a clear alternative to it Antwerp Declaration, which Europe's industry launched in the spring at the chemical group BASF's factory in Antwerp. Business Europe, a number of the major European industrial companies, including from the oil, gas and chemical industries, but also some trade unions and industry associations have signed the Antwerp declaration, which wants the EU to create a new industrial pact, which will easier to run a business, simplify the rules on the internal market, and strengthen the EU's raw material security. There are thus significant differences between the green organizations' future pact and the industry's Antwerp declaration.

Sign the green future pact
Green Transition Denmark would like the EU to pursue a more aggressive industrial policy in the next five years, which can also speed up the green transition. But it must be done with binding requirements. It is important that binding environmental requirements are set and high green objectives are set, so that Europe's companies do not compete down to a lower common denominator, or that the environmental requirements in the EU's internal market are relaxed. That is why we at the Green Transition Denmark strongly recommend everyone to sign the new green future pact.

You can read the entire covenant here . Sign if you support the green future pact so that before the EU's next summit we can collect more signatures than those who support the Antwerp declaration.

By |2024-06-03T07:59:36+01:0029 May 2024|News|Comments closed to Sign the new green pact for Europe's future – a green and social pact for economy within the planetary boundaries
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Open letter: Revise the North Sea Agreement for a fair, fossil-free future

The government should bring forward the end date for fossil production to 2031 and close the continued options for fossil expansion that the current agreement allows through so-called 'mini-rounds' and 'neighbouring blocks'. This is what it says in a joint appeal to the government, in which RGO, together with 16 NGOs and almost 100 researchers, are involved.

The letter has been sent to Climate, Energy and Supply Minister Lars Aagaard (M), Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jørgensen (S), Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (S) and Business Minister Morten Bødskov (S).

Read the letter here:

By |2024-05-28T09:59:18+01:0028 May 2024|News|Comments closed to Open letter: Revise the North Sea Agreement for a fair, fossil-free future
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Eight organizations call on the climate minister to ensure that the gas boilers are phased out

Green Transition Denmark together with CONCITO, Danish District Heating, Green Power Denmark, Intelligent Energy, SYNERGI, TEKNIQ Employers and the Heat Pump Industry have sent a letter to the Minister of Climate, Energy and Supply, Lars Aagaard.

The letter is sent in light of the Climate Status and Projection 2024, which shows that in 2035 there will still be 110.000 households that are heated with gas boilers. It is problematic because there is a political ambition that from 2035 there should be no homes in Denmark that are heated by gas boilers.

There are many good arguments for phasing out the gas boilers as soon as possible.
We know the alternatives in the form of district heating and heat pumps, and they are both greener and better for society. It will also be expensive as a remaining gas customer to have to maintain a gas network with very few connections.

But there is a lack of a clear signal that gas does not belong in heating. Therefore, a political end date should be set for when gas may no longer be used for space heating, at the same time that initiatives are initiated so that no new gas boilers are installed that can have a lifespan of twenty years.
These initiatives must offer a helping hand to vulnerable households who can get help to convert to district heating or a heat pump.
This is agreed upon by a broad coalition of organizations working with the transformation of the heat supply.

The letter has been sent to the climate minister on behalf of the Green Transition Denmark, CONCITO, Dansk Fjernvarme, Green Power Denmark, Intelligent Energy, SYNERGI, TEKNIQ Employers and the Heat Pump Industry on 3 May 2024.

Read the letter to the climate minister here

By |2024-05-03T14:07:29+01:003 May 2024|News|Comments closed to Eight organisations, the climate minister is calling on to ensure that the gas boilers are phased out
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Listen to the Climate Council and put biodiversity and the aquatic environment at the center of the next agricultural reform

"The Climate Council's report is a very significant and courageous innovation that deserves great praise. It is a head-on showdown with silo thinking, where in Denmark in recent years we have focused rather one-sidedly on the climate and greenhouse gases, while the other environmental and natural crises have been pushed into the background. A pure climate focus will not save our water environment or biodiversity. It is high time that we find joint and coherent solutions to these challenges,” says Bjarke Møller, director of the Green Transition Denmark.

Need for new holistic thinking
"The report shows that you can reduce society's costs by 8-20 per cent if you coordinate efforts instead of splitting efforts into three separate tracks. A policy with a focus on biodiversity and the aquatic environment, where one third of the agricultural land is removed, much more forest is planted and the aquatic environment is protected, will provide a major climate gain of 6,8 million. tons of CO2e. These good proposals for a new holistic approach should be included in the ongoing tripartite negotiations for agriculture, so that you do not just create a greenhouse tax,” recommends Bjarke Møller.

RGO has long called for a structural restructuring of agriculture, where animal production is reduced and more emphasis is placed on plant-based foods. RGO has also recommended wetting the carbon-rich low-lying soils, more and faster afforestation, less fertilization of the soils and protecting the drinking water from pesticides.

"The industrialized and intensive agriculture in Denmark has for many years caused great damage to the climate, the water environment and the biodiversity, and it is high time to make binding legal requirements for agriculture, so that in the future it does not damage nature in Denmark, but operates safely within the planetary borders,” says Bjarke Møller.

It is urgent to strengthen biodiversity
Denmark is the country in Europe where nature and biodiversity are most exposed. Only 1,6 per cent of Denmark's area is strictly protected nature, and in the EU Denmark is the worst in terms of the protection of our nature. Only approximately 5 per cent. of nature on land is in good ecological condition, the marine environment suffers from historically high levels of oxygen loss, and only 1 per cent of the coastal waters are in good ecological condition. The leaching of nitrogen should be reduced by at least a third if Denmark is to live up to the EU's water framework directive, and this year agriculture plans to spread even more nitrogen on the fields.

It is unsustainable, and that is why the Green Transition Denmark supports the Climate Council's biodiversity proposal, where 630.000 hectares of agricultural land are taken out of use for biodiversity, and that at least 250.000 hectares of forest are raised and more production forest is laid out as untouched forest, so that more carbon can be sequestered in the wild. "Today, natural carbon sequestration, through uptake in forests, is the cheapest and most efficient way to extract carbon from the atmosphere, and we should invest much more in Danish climate policy instead of spending billions of tax kroner investing in unsafe technical fix with bovas in agriculture or CO2 capture systems on the chimneys", says Bjarke Møller.

Green Transition Denmark agrees with the Climate Council that Denmark cannot live up to the EU's water framework directive in 2027 and not live up to the EU's nature regulation of 30 per cent. protected nature in 2030, if no action is taken to limit agricultural areas.

Today, agriculture and forestry take up 72 per cent. of Denmark's land area, and the majority is used to produce feed for cows, pigs and other production animals in agriculture.

Climate tax is important, but not decisive
"It would be very good if the politicians could agree on a high and uniform climate tax for agriculture, because it could give all players in agriculture a strong incentive to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. But the Climate Council's report actually documents that even if the politicians cannot agree on the greenhouse tax, you can actually achieve the same climate effect and remove 6,8 million tonnes of CO2e if you follow the Climate Council's proposal to protect the aquatic environment and biodiversity. It would be a very good idea here to create a state land fund to buy up land from landowners and start discussions on a major land reform, which can add extra speed to the transition,” says Bjarke Møller.

The costs of the Climate Council's biodiversity scenario are DKK 409 measured per ton reduced CO2e, and viewed in isolation, the climate price is higher than if you simply introduce a climate tax in agriculture, or if you simply focus unilaterally on protecting the water environment. But in the biodiversity scenario, there are, on the other hand, a number of positive economic side benefits that have not been taken into account, because it will strengthen biodiversity, protect drinking water, so that we avoid costly clean-up bills in the future, and it will increase the recreational value of Denmark's nature.

By |2024-04-23T13:39:17+01:0023. April 2024|Press release|Comments closed to Listen to the Climate Council and put biodiversity and the aquatic environment at the center of the next agricultural reform
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13 organizations and trade unions calling out: Give us green and healthy welfare buildings

Public buildings in Denmark are generally in poor condition. It has a number of visible – and less visible – negative consequences. Buildings in poor condition use significantly more energy, emit more CO2 and are far more expensive to operate. At the same time, the well-documented challenges with a poor indoor climate mean that children, young people and adults learn less and perform at a lower level than if the indoor climate had been good.

It is a big and overlooked problem for both society and the individual users of the buildings, according to a large number of organisations. They are now working together on a joint plan to raise the problem to the political agenda - and they are delivering a catalog of proposals that can improve the quality of public buildings.

The parties propose, among other things:

  • A clear goal for renovation and reduction of public energy consumption
  • Minimum requirements for the indoor climate in all public buildings
  • A separate green plant ceiling

The proposals can also form a significant part of the solution to a number of new, significant EU requirements for increased energy efficiency. The requirements entail, among other things, that the municipalities must energy renovate 3 per cent. of the building area and save 1,9 per cent. of energy consumption – every year.

A major barrier to greener and healthier buildings is the construction ceiling, which limits the scope of investments by municipalities and regions in, among other things. energy renovation. The coalition is therefore proposing a green construction ceiling, which will boost green investments - to the benefit of the green transition, welfare and the economy.

Read the play out "Green and healthy welfare buildings".


Quotes

Katrine Bjerre, director of SYNERGI:
"Buildings are one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. We simply will not reach the goal of the green transition without far more modern, energy-efficient buildings. At the same time, the poor indoor climate in welfare buildings is perhaps the most overlooked area of ​​welfare in Denmark. Every day, our youngest and oldest citizens spend a large part of their time in public welfare buildings. We cannot be known to give them such a poor framework, as is the case in many places today. That is why I am happy that we have managed to gather a large and strong group of senders behind a clear message to the politicians: Prioritize green and healthy welfare buildings.”

Anders Stouge, deputy director of Danish Industry:
"Renovation of public buildings is essential for improving energy efficiency, green conversion, and for creating a better and healthier working environment for public employees and the many citizens who use the buildings. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that the public finances are secured to carry out investments in the renovation of its buildings. That economy is missing today.

Concretely, there is a need for a separate green building ceiling, so that the municipalities have funds to invest in a comprehensive renovation of the municipal buildings, where efforts have lagged far behind the need for many years. In addition, it is important to point out that public-private cooperation here also plays an important role in the effort, as private individuals will in many cases be able to operate public buildings."

Troels Blicher Danielsen, CEO of TEKNIQ Employers:

"It cannot be right that we have to see the same scenario repeat itself year after year: Public buildings waste precious energy because they are out of date. At the same time, they often struggle with poor indoor climate, because the area has been neglected for many years in the fight for the renovation crowns in the public budgets. It is not fair that it should affect both young and elderly citizens when we know what is needed to solve the problem and create a sustainable future.”

Nanna Højlund, vice-chairman of the main organization of the trade union movement:

"The public buildings are the framework for our welfare society and both employees and citizens deserve that the framework is up-to-date and in good condition. We must take advantage of the fact that we have many skilled professionals and companies that are at the forefront of energy efficiency. Energy renovation of public buildings provides benefits for both the working environment and health via better indoor climate, economy and the climate. We need to power that. However, the municipalities' finances are tight and set within too narrow a framework, which is why we propose a green construction ceiling and improved loan provisions that should give the municipalities better opportunities to renovate energy. We also propose a support pool for municipalities with low liquidity to help profitable investments along the way.”

Laura Klitgaard, chairman of the Engineers' Association IDA:

"As a former municipal developer, I myself have experience with the renovation of public buildings - and there are really big gains to be made for both the climate and users. But it requires political will and capital. There are far, far too many public buildings in Denmark that are in poor condition, but with the potential to become healthier and more energy efficient buildings. Therefore, it is high time that the politicians become clear about the target and set out joint guidelines as well as a target for renovation and reduction of public energy consumption.”

Bjarke Møller, director of the Green Transition Denmark:

"The public sector should operate as a green front-runner and reduce energy consumption in public buildings. High requirements should be set for energy renovation of public buildings. There is huge potential for saving energy in our buildings, and this can both reduce CO2 emissions and operating costs.”

Benny Yssing, chairman of the Danish Electricity Association:

"The public buildings must be more involved in the climate effort, and to that extent it is about electrification and more efficient use of energy. Investments in the short term will provide savings in the longer term, to the benefit of welfare. And when renovating, it is obvious to improve ventilation and lighting, our children and the elderly in the institutions deserve that.”

Palle Thomsen, CEO of Danske Byggecentre:

"We simply cannot afford to ignore the growing need for greener and healthier welfare buildings. It is time we prioritized the modernization of our older and outdated public buildings. By investing in these green initiatives, we not only ensure a sustainable future, but also a healthier and more comfortable everyday life for our fellow citizens.”

Dorte Nørregaard Larsen, director of Energiforum Denmark:

"It is good for the climate and the operating budget, provides greater job satisfaction, better learning and better health. One can wonder that renovating and maintaining public buildings has not long since become a political winner. Fortunately, an entire industry is ready to help take on the task, and we look forward to getting started"

Thomas Brücker, sector chairman in the Technical and Service sector, FOA:

"The municipal buildings and halls are the focal point for a great many activities, and these buildings form the framework for a large part of the welfare that the municipalities provide. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that these buildings are in a good and healthy condition. Buildings' lack of maintenance is the cause of cold, dampness and mould, while poorly maintained buildings have an excessively high energy consumption. Use the skills of the many skilled technical employees to qualify the renovations that are needed, and use them in the operation of the buildings. Poor maintenance is expensive for society, it takes money from welfare and it emits far too much CO2.”

Per Rømer Kofod, CEO of VELTEK:

"It is imperative that we meet the green transition in construction, and here it is absolutely crucial that we use modern, intelligent and demand-driven installations, as the latest technologies in water, heating, electricity and ventilation can provide very large energy savings. Furthermore, it is only through this that we can achieve the necessary energy efficiency at the same time as an up-to-date and healthy indoor climate."

Henrik W. Petersen, chairman of the Tin and Pipe Workers' Association:

"There are enormous perspectives in the renovations of our public buildings. We know, for example, from numerous scientific studies that a poor indoor climate means poorer well-being and poorer learning in our schools. It is therefore completely natural to invest in mechanical ventilation. Better mechanical ventilation provides more well-being and better learning. It's that simple. An investment that, moreover, pays for itself relatively quickly. After all, we know that a poor indoor climate means higher sickness absence among staff. This does not just apply in schools, but in all public buildings. So more welfare and more hands actually come out of investing in daycare centers, schools and nursing homes.”

Søren Sand Kirk, director of BAT – the Building, Construction and Timber Cartel:

“It should be a no-brainer. The state and municipalities will save money, CO2 emissions will decrease and our children's learning, the elderly's quality of life and the employees' working environment will be significantly improved."

Facts about public buildings
En analysis from the Association of Consulting Engineers shows that there is a total renovation backlog in the public building stock of at least DKK 70 billion. DKK. At the same time, figures from a report, which Transition has done for SYNERGI, that 7 out of 10 municipal buildings have a poor energy label and are therefore very far from being compatible with the green transition and building requirements from the EU. In the same report, almost half of the municipalities answer that they have no targets for saving energy, while only a third have targets for improving the indoor climate in their buildings, even though there are 16 billion DKK to be raised by improving the air, light and sound level in primary schools and daycare centers. Three out of five municipally owned buildings were built before 1980, when energy requirements were first introduced in the building regulations

Every year the Danes barely miss one half a million. working days as a result of poor indoor climate. Measurements has shown that more than 9 out of 10 classrooms in Danish primary schools have a poor indoor climate during the school day. This has major consequences for learning. Pupils taught in a good indoor climate can be the equivalent of a whole year's curriculum ahead of pupils in a poor indoor climate when they reach 9th grade

By |2024-04-15T09:07:36+01:0015. April 2024|Press release|Comments closed to 13 organizations and trade unions calling out: Give us green and healthy welfare buildings
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Green support for banning the discharge of flue gas water

More and more ships discharge toxic flue gas water directly into the sea to the great detriment of the marine environment. That is why several green organizations proposed a year ago that Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (S) ban the discharge of flue gas water by ships in the Danish territorial waters (out to the 12 nautical mile limit). There are currently over 100 restrictions against ships' discharge of flue gas water in other countries. But even though the Danish sea areas are some of the most polluting of the ships' flue gas water, Denmark still has no restrictions on the discharge.

On Friday, the green organizations met with the Minister of the Environment and can state with satisfaction that the Minister has listened to the concerns raised by the organisations. The Minister has investigated the matter in detail. The economic costs of a ban are very limited. On the other hand, a ban would be a great gain for the marine environment and ensure that Denmark lives up to its obligations in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The next step is an international ban, as the majority of flue gas water is discharged in the international part of the Danish sea areas. The green organizations are pushing to achieve this via OSPAR, HELCOM, the EU and IMO.

The undersigned organizations hope that all parties wholeheartedly support the ban.

Flue gas water from ships
An increasing number of ships use so-called scrubbers, where the flue gas from the ships is given a shower, after which the polluted flue gas water with toxic heavy metals and tar substances is discharged directly into the sea. The alternative to scrubbers is that the ships simply use cleaner fuels and reduce pollution. But since the cleaner fuels are more expensive, scrubbers are attractive. In 2008, there were three ships with scrubbers. Now there are over 5.000.

The minister's proposal (see also the email below): https://mim.dk/nyheder/pressemeddelelser/2024/marts/miljoeminister-vil-lave-forbud-nye-tal-viser-markant-udledning-af-farlige-stoffer-fra-skibe

 

Contact persons of signatories

Jeppe Juul, head of transport policy, tel. 33 18 19 48 Green Transition Denmark

Kåre Press-Kristensen, senior advisor, tel. 22 81 10 27, Green Global Future

Knud N. Flensted, nature policy advisor, mobile 21 24 22 75, DOF BirdLife

Henning Mørk Jørgensen, Advisor, tel. 31 19 32 35, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening.

Marc Eskelund, Political advisor, tel. 26 27 69 12, Association for Gentle Coastal Fisheries

Philip Thomasen, Consultant, tel. 30 92 00 11, Tänketanken Hav

Thomas Kirk Sørensen, Specialist, tel. 25 14 25 51, WWF World Wildlife Fund

Lars Brinch Thygesen, Nature and Environment Consultant, tel. 40 14 10 77, Danish Sports Fishing Association

Thea P. Strand, Head of Secretariat, tel. 31 20 56 02, National Association for Nature & Youth

Sune Scheller, Campaign Manager, tel. 27 14 42 57, Greenpeace Denmark

By |2024-03-12T11:08:06+01:0012. March 2024|Press release|Comments closed for Green support for banning the discharge of flue gas water
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We must accelerate the expansion of wind and solar - without compromising on environmental considerations

Considerable political concern is expressed that environmental approvals and consideration for nature and biodiversity are a major barrier to the roll-out of renewable energy. This concern must be addressed so that consideration for nature and biodiversity does not have to become a stumbling block for the roll-out of wind and solar. Especially when we look into a future where the battle for land will intensify.

It is estimated that 130%-140% of Denmark's area has already been planned, where buildings, energy, agriculture and infrastructure often come before nature. A larger area must be set aside quickly for setting up wind and solar. In the Climate Agreement on green electricity and heat from 2022, the parties to the agreement agreed on a four-fold increase in total electricity production from solar energy and onshore wind up to 4.

Calculations from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Supply show, however, that renewable energy only needs to be set up on a further 0,8% of Denmark's area in order to achieve a 4-fold increase in renewable energy on land.

In comparison, the SVM government has plans to plant new forest on an area corresponding to 6% of Denmark, while low-lying land from agriculture corresponding to 2,3% of Denmark is to be taken. However, legislation currently prevents or makes it more expensive to use these areas for setting up renewable energy.

Connected crises

One should not regard the two considerations of climate and biodiversity as a zero-sum game where there can only be one winner. Because the crises are connected, and they must be solved together.

If we are to turn the current loss of biodiversity into progress and at the same time ensure the green transition, there is a need for new legislation in the area.

In December last year, the government and a broad majority of parties in the Danish Parliament entered into an agreement to promote renewable energy expansion on land. The primary initiatives in the agreement are a framework for the establishment of large energy parks, more money for compensation to neighbors and local communities for RE expansion and relaxation of land protection for energy parks.

In the Green Transition Denmark, we believe that there are more ambitious levers to turn on, so that the climate and biodiversity crises are not set up as mutual competitors.

According to the Biodiversity Council, the current biodiversity across species, habitats and natural processes is not sufficient for the maintenance of biodiversity in the long term. Biodiversity should be integrated as a parameter in the legislation for setting up renewable energy - and other construction projects. This can mean a faster roll-out of RE projects, because delays from complaints are avoided, while at the same time biodiversity and nature considerations are taken into account early in the process.

A leg-strain for the installation of wind turbines is the Forest Act, which prohibits the forest owner from establishing facilities that are not necessary for forest management. Here, a distinction should be made between production forest and forests that are richer in biodiversity. Regulation should make it possible to set up wind energy in production forests, which could function as a source of income for the forest owner. In addition, the installer could be obliged to ensure increased biodiversity in the same production forest. In Finland, there is already good experience with setting up the tall, new wind turbines in forest areas, where the turbine rotates over the highest trees in the forest. This has helped make Finland one of the European countries that has accelerated the set-up of renewable energy on land.

It is important that citizens, municipalities and other stakeholders are involved earlier and wholeheartedly in RE projects. This can create a joint local anchoring of the expansion of wind and solar on land, while at the same time local knowledge can be utilized. In addition, local citizens should be invited in as shareholders, and in general the process of tenders and offers for setting up RE must be completely transparent and fair.

Until now, municipalities have had too few financial incentives to speed up case processing and say yes to renewable energy that covers more than the municipality's own consumption or meets the municipality's DK2020 goals.

Green Transition Denmark does not believe that by raising the compensation in Green Pool (where installers of renewable energy plants pay an amount per installed MW to the municipality) to 150%, these financial incentives are ensured, as it is still a lump sum. We believe that Grøn Pulje should be abolished and replaced by initiatives that provide the municipality with ongoing income, so that you are rewarded for setting up more wind and solar in the municipality and increases the local economy. The municipality should receive 5 øre per produced kWh during the lifetime of the solar cell or wind turbine. If we use the energy park at Greenlab Skive as a case, Skive Municipality will receive a one-off sum of approximately DKK 16 million through Grøn Pool, whereas Skive Municipality would receive just over DKK 9 million annually in our proposal. In the park's expected lifetime, it would lead to a municipal subsidy of DKK 279 million.

In the future, all renewable energy projects should be obliged to take into account consideration for nature and promote biodiversity, while case processing will be much smoother and more agile, so that expansion can go even stronger.

The debate entry is also published in Ingeniøren GridTech on 23 February 2024.

By |2024-02-29T11:02:14+01:0023. February 2024|OP-ED|Comments closed to We must accelerate the expansion of wind and solar - without compromising on environmental considerations
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Climate tax for agriculture: Green Transition Denmark praises expert committee

It is important that Danish agriculture contributes to the fight to reduce Denmark's emissions of greenhouse gases if we are to live up to the national and international agreements, we have entered into. Agriculture covers more than 60 per cent. of our land area, which makes Denmark Europe's most intensively cultivated country, and the agricultural sector accounts for more than 25 per cent. of the Danish greenhouse gas emissions.

The government's expert committee has just proposed three possible models for a tax for agriculture, and the Green Transition Denmark has the following comments on the committee's recommendations:

Quotes, Niklas Sjøbeck Jørgensen, senior advisor for Food and bioresources:

"Danish agriculture must climb out of the hole that the industry has dug deeper into for a long time with the investment in intensive animal production. It is therefore gratifying that the Svarer committee is presenting a proposal for a model with a tax of DKK 750/tonne CO2, which actually leads to the changes and new opportunities that are needed. If we combine the model wisely with the EU's agricultural support and an acceleration of the plant-based sector, we can see a Danish agriculture that operates within the planetary boundaries."

"The expert committee has done a great job and we are particularly proud of the fact that they have gone beyond the 2030 targets and looked at how we can best create a model that lasts all the way to 2045, when we must be climate neutral."

"It is extremely important that we focus on creating a tax architecture that future-proofs agriculture beyond 2030. Fortunately, the committee has had a great deal of focus on that. We must be climate neutral by 2045 – and at the same time we have major challenges with a dead marine environment and a pressured biodiversity. Therefore, the tax of DKK 750/tonne CO2 is clearly the best way forward, as here we are setting a new and more future-proof course for agriculture."

 

Quotes, Trine Langhede, advisor for Food and bioresources:

"It is important that we do not gamble with investments in technological solutions in order to continue undeterred as we are today. If cows have to have feed additives, it locks them into the barns, instead of letting them out to pasture, where they can benefit biodiversity and the ecosystem in the field.”

“We have not yet seen a single full-scale pyrolysis plant in operation. Therefore, it is extremely uncertain how much effect the technology can actually deliver. We also still lack answers to many important questions about pyrolysis and biochar. For example, we do not know what long-term consequences bringing biochar onto the fields can have on soil and biodiversity. Or whether toxic substances can be formed in the pyrolysis process. Therefore, we hope that the politicians do not create a pyrolysis pool one billion kroner. That money is better spent elsewhere."

Green Transition Denmark has recently presented our own proposal for what a climate tax for agriculture should look like:

By |2024-02-21T13:12:47+01:0021. February 2024|News|Comments closed for Climate tax for agriculture: Green Transition Denmark praises expert committee
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