The EU's PFAS plans and Denmark's role

The EU's upcoming PFAS restriction proposal will be one of the most comprehensive chemical interventions in history. The proposal is intended to put an end to the use of the problematic fluorinated substances across sectors – but the question is whether the EU's pace and transition periods are sufficient, and whether Denmark should take the lead with national regulation in specific product areas.

På dette webinar, afholdt den 3. december, dykkede vi ned i PFAS-restriktionsforslagets indhold, hvilke overgangsperioder der er på spil og hvilken betydning den nuværende EU-tilbagerulningspolitik har for fremtidens kemikalieregulering. Til sidst rundede vi af ved at høre om byggebranchens arbejde og udfordringer i forhold til PFAS i byggevarer.

Byggevarer er blandt de første produktgrupper, hvor der forventes krav til udfasning af PFAS, og her er overgangsperioden relativt kort. Samtidig ser vi en EU-politik, der flere steder ruller miljø- og kemikaliereguleringer tilbage – eksempelvis gennem den såkaldte kemikalie-omnibus.

Se eller gense oplæggene fra webinaret nedenfor.

Anna Heebøll, Danish Environmental Protection Agency
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Se slides fra Annas præsentation here .

Sidsel Dyekjær, ChemSec
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Se slides fra Sidsels præsentation here .

Emil Engel Magnussen, M.Sc. (Construction)
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Se slides fra Emils præsentation here .

Moderator: Lone Mikkelsen, senior advisor at the Green Transition Denmark.

Supported by funds from the European Commission. Responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.

By |2025-12-12T16:05:37+01:0012. December 2025|Article|Comments closed til EU’s PFAS-planer og Danmarks rolle
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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, as 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 |2025-12-10T10:43:19+01:009. December 2025|Article|Comments closed Methane reductions are our lifeline to limit global temperature increases
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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 |2025-12-04T12:05:51+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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Solar farms, local concerns and citizen engagement – a webinar focusing on causes and solutions

In the EU, there are signs that frustration with climate policy is growing, and that the transition is perceived as unfair and affects ordinary people's lifestyles and neighborhoods. This is also seen in the right-wing swing in the European Parliament elections last year.

Now we are in a local election campaign here in Denmark, where local resistance and division in connection with plans for large solar parks are taking over the media, local communities and politicians.

With the webinar held on November 12, we delved deeper into the frustrations over the energy transition in the EU, while also looking at what can help turn things around. What lessons can be learned from examples of people embracing the energy transition in their local communities? Can more democratic engagement be part of the solution?

Three presentations – three perspectives

The first presentation was given by Francesco Campo, PhD at Roskilde University. He researches democracy, populism and resistance and is currently investigating different forms of resistance to climate action in Denmark (this presentation is in English). In the presentation, he looks outwards towards Europe to gain insight into the resistance to energy projects in other EU countries and how far-right parties are approaching the issue. He also looks at similarities and differences between other EU countries and Denmark in this area. The video here starts with an introduction by moderator Helene Chéret and then Francesco Campo's presentation.

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Presentation slides from Francesco Campo's presentation: See slides here

We then turn our attention to North Jutland, specifically Tversted, where a group of citizens have committed to a wind turbine and solar cell park and are helping to shape the project together with the energy developer. Birthe Østergaard, leader of the Tversted Tourist and Citizens' Association, talks about the dream, how they did it and the barriers along the way.

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Presentation slides from Birthe Østergaard's presentation: See slides here

And last but not least, Karl Sperling, associate professor at the Department of Sustainability and Planning at Aalborg University, provides an insight into the democratic aspect and citizen involvement in planning the energy transition, and among other things tells about how Thisted Municipality has turned planning upside down and started afresh.

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Presentation slides from Karl Sperling's presentation: See slides here

Webinar moderator: Helene Chéret, Green Transition Denmark. Technology: Ronja Scherfig.

The webinar was created in connection with, among other things, the Trans4Demo project, where the Green Transition Denmark and Roskilde University are partners. Read more here: https://trans4demo.eu/

Also funded by a grant from the European Commission. Responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.

By |2025-11-14T10:20:48+01:0014 November 2025|Article|Comments closed to the Battle for the Solar Parks – webinar focusing on causes and solutions
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When the electric trucks visited City Hall Square

When morning traffic began to take shape on October 1st across the City Hall Square, people were greeted by a slightly different sight than usual. Earlier, while darkness still reigned, eight electric trucks had quietly rolled into the square. This happened in connection with an event organized by, among others, the Green Transition Denmark and the Ministry of Transport.

Electric trucks already come in many varieties – from concrete mixers, garbage trucks and crane trucks to the very heavy trucks that can carry 40 tons of goods up to 500 km on a single charge. Throughout the day, curious citizens could take a closer look at different electric trucks, the charging equipment used to quickly charge the trucks, and talk to companies and drivers about what it's like to drive an electric truck instead of a fossil-fueled one.

The day began with a reception at Copenhagen City Hall, where Lord Mayor Lars Weiss welcomed and spoke about the City of Copenhagen's green initiatives to convert their vehicle fleets that serve the municipality, including buses and garbage trucks. After that, Head of Department at the Ministry of Transport Jacob Heinesen spoke about how far we have come with the green transition in the transport area. And Jeppe Juul, Head of Transport Policy at the Green Transition Denmark, explained how the transition to electric trucks in Denmark makes sense on several levels.

“Electric trucks benefit the climate, safety and competitiveness: Each truck saves approximately 400.000 liters of diesel over its lifetime, electricity is cheaper than diesel, and we reduce dependence on imported fuel,” says Jeppe Juul

Graphics: Sidsel Knutz Lauritsen

At the Town Hall Square, truck driver Aron Hansen is standing and talking about his experience with electric trucks at DSV. He has driven from Jutland to Copenhagen to show off the electric truck, which he has been giving an extra polish to for today's occasion since morning.

“Driving an electric truck is an opportunity to try something new in Denmark. And compared to the problems I initially thought we would experience when driving long distances, I have been positively surprised – because that is not the case.” – Aron Hansen

Although Aron Hansen actually likes the engine noise from regular trucks, he can certainly see the positive in the fact that electric trucks make less noise for everyone around the truck. The less noise for the local environment around the trucks is something ARC experiences positive feedback about from citizens. And it also has an impact on the working environment for drivers who, for example, drive garbage trucks. Bo Fredskov Kristiansen says:

“An employee once said to me: I've been driving garbage for 10 years, and now I can actually hear my radio on the road. And when I get home in the evening I no longer have to rest on the sofa because my head is not so heavy anymore. So it's good for the working environment, and it's good for the local environment, where citizens are happy about the less noise the garbage trucks make.”

Several of today's exhibitors have big ambitions for the future. Schulstad has an ambition that their distribution will run only on electricity.

"I think we are so far along that we can retire the last diesel car during 2027. We want to ensure that the daily bread reaches the Danes in the right way, and that is on electricity," says Niels Kristian Holm, logistics manager at Lantmännen Schulstad.

Along the way, curious questions were asked at the Town Hall Square by people who passed by during the day, where driver and mechanic apprentices from TEC also stopped by.

Green Transition Denmark had replaced one side of Schulstad's electric truck with a giant banner to highlight today's message that electrification of heavy transport is good for safety, competitiveness and climate:

Graphics on truck by Sidsel Knutz Lauritsen

Thank you to the following companies for showcasing their electric trucks and charging equipment:

  • Crane truck from City & Port
  • Garbage truck from ARC – Amager Resource Center
  • Concrete mixer from Unicon A/S
  • Lantmännen Schulstad bread truck
  • Owner Hessel – Trucks truck
  • DFDS truck
  • DSV – Global Transport and Logistics truck
  • REMA 1000 Denmark truck
  • GodEnergi A/S and Kempower with i.a. megawatt charger for trucks
  • Volvo Trucks
  • Scania Denmark

By |2025-11-11T16:08:02+01:001 November 2025|Article|Comments closed to When the electric trucks visited City Hall Square
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Webinar on the EU's NEC Directive and air pollution

Does the EU's NEC Directive ensure cleaner air for Europeans? That was the title and focus of a webinar held by the Danish Council for the Green Transition on October 28, 2025.  

The EU's NEC Directive ('National Emission reduction Commitments Directive') aims to reduce emissions of five air pollutants in Europe by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.  

However, not all pollutants are included in the directive. The greenhouse gas methane is excluded, despite the fact that it contributes to air pollution through the formation of ground-level ozone, which harms public health, crops, biodiversity and ecosystems. According to the European Environment Agency, 70.000 premature deaths could potentially be prevented if ground-level ozone values ​​remained within WHO air quality guidelines, and ozone damage to crops in Europe alone costs at least 2 billion euros per year.  

The NEC Directive will be evaluated by the end of 2025, which will open the discussion on which air pollutants the directive should cover. Against this background, the Council for the Green Transition focused on the directive and air pollution in the EU:

First, Lærke Kjærbye-Thygesen, advisor to the Green Transition Denmark, introduced the NEC Directive and the Green Transition Denmark's focus on methane.

Afterwards, EU parliamentarian for the Moderates Stine Bosse spoke about the necessity of still taking climate and environment into account in the changed European political landscape, where discussions about competitiveness dominate the agenda.

Thomas Ellermann, senior researcher at the Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University, then went into depth about how methane contributes to air pollution in Europe and the consequences thereof.

Finally, Margherita Tolotto, policy manager for air and noise at the European Environmental Bureau, presented the NEC Directive and gave an update on where the EU stands right now.

You can watch or rewatch the presentations below and find PowerPoint slides from the presentations on the right.

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

See Lærke Kjærbye-Thygesen's introduction to the NEC Directive here:

Watch Thomas Ellermann's presentation on the role of methane in air pollution in Europe here:

See Margherita Tolotto's presentation on the NEC Directive here:

By |2025-12-10T14:28:40+01:0028. October 2025|Article|Comments closed to Webinar about the EU's NEC Directive and air pollution
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Conclusions from PFAS conference

Text and photos: Ronja Scherfig

What are the consequences of using PFAS in construction? How large is the scope? How do we handle construction waste containing this group of chemicals? And what does it mean for circular construction? This was the focus of our conference entitled 'PFAS in construction' on September 9 in the Common Hall at Christiansborg.

Speakers, panelists and, not least, an engaged audience shared their experiences and expertise and made us more knowledgeable about PFAS and everything that comes with it once PFAS has become part of our construction.

The conference was organized in collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute, WSP Denmark, Henning Larsen Architects and Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers A/S. The moderator was Helene Chéret, editor of the Council for Green Transformation.

Here is a summary and highlights from the conference.

The conference was opened by Anne Paulin, who is the circular economy spokesperson and housing spokesperson for the Social Democrats. She also hosted the conference.

"We must do everything we can to get PFAS out of our bodies and nature - and here it is also very relevant to look at construction"

Xenia Trier, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen and part of the PFAS Center, gave an insight into what research indicates when it comes to the use of PFAS and its effect on our health. PFAS is now found in many places when you look for it. And it costs a lot in the form of health effects and pollution of nature and aquatic environments. It also complicates the circular economy and harms the climate.

“It is possible to develop alternatives to PFAS in the construction industry. But clear legal requirements and help for the sector are needed to make it work in practice. Here, Denmark has an opportunity to be a pioneer. We might as well get started now, so we are ready when a PFAS restriction comes in.”

We only have data for a small amount of PFAS substances, and the risk assessments cannot keep up with the amount and diversity of the substances, says Xenia Trier. At the same time, we know that when PFAS contamination occurs, it spreads. The people who are most exposed to PFAS in Denmark are people who live or work close to point sources, such as at former fire training sites. But also workers who produce, use or recycle materials containing PFAS.

New PFAS findings in building products

In a newly published report on the detection of PFAS in building products, samples show fluorine compounds, including specific PFAS substances, in 11 of the 44 building products that were tested. In a presentation, Anke Oberender, senior consultant at the Danish Technological Institute, and Anna-Mette Monnelly, specialist at Søren Jensen Rådgivende Ingeniørfirma A/S, explain the main conclusions from the report and recommendations for builders and suppliers.

More knowledge and action are needed. But it is important that a lack of knowledge does not become a stumbling block to action now. The industry can contribute, and it is important that they take an active part in this, but they cannot phase out PFAS in construction alone. For this, political requirements and regulations are needed, says the new report.

Jan René Rasmussen, team leader from Gladsaxe Municipality, spoke about the work with Nordic Ecolabelled and circular daycare centres in the municipality. He highlighted that circular buildings carry a history and a narrative that users find interesting. The municipality has also experienced that the certified Nordic Ecolabelled buildings can act as a drawcard to attract new workers and families to the daycare centres.

From the Consumer Ombudsman, Chief Consultant Christian Poll spoke about their work in enforcing the Marketing Act. His recommendations are to be as specific and precise as possible, that there is a difference between climate, environment and sustainability, and to avoid messages such as “free of PFAS”, as very often small amounts of a chemical such as PFAS will be included as a result of background contamination.

Senior advisor Lone Hjorth Mikkelsen from the Danish Green Transition Denmark presented a number of policy recommendations for PFAS in construction. She emphasized adopting a national strategy for phasing out PFAS in construction products, setting requirements for chemical documentation in construction, using public procurement as leverage, and strengthening control and documentation for the import and sale of materials that may contain PFAS.

The conference was rounded off with a panel discussion. The following participated:

Karin Liltorp, Member of Parliament for the Alternative and PhD in Chemistry, Morten Melchiors, Group Chairman for the Conservatives and member of the Technical and Environmental Committee in the Municipality of Copenhagen, Martha Lewis, Head of materials, Henning Larsen Architects, Xenia Trier, Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen and the PFAS Center, Jan René Rasmussen, team leader, Gladsaxe Municipality, Lone Hjorth Mikkelsen, Senior Advisor at the Green Transition Denmark.

The question of the municipalities' use of certification schemes in construction was raised. Gladsaxe and the Municipality of Copenhagen pointed out that certifications help them because it is not possible to have all relevant expert knowledge internally in the municipality. Martha Lewis pointed out that certifications are also valuable for experts – but that it is important to be aware of the criteria that underlie the certifications.

The EU was highlighted as a possible guide, but Karin Liltorp from Alternativet pointed out that Denmark should take the lead and not wait for the EU.

Morten Melchiors from the Conservative Party in the Municipality of Copenhagen stated that going to work must never be dangerous. When demands come, new ways of doing things also come.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the conference.

Power points from today's speakers can be found here:

  • Xenia Trier, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen and the PFAS Center: PDF
  • Anke Oberender, senior consultant, Danish Technological Institute and Anna-Mette Monnelly, specialist, Søren Jensen Consulting Engineering Firm: PDF
  • Jan Rene Rasmussen, team leader, Gladsaxe Municipality: PDF
  • Christian Poll, Chief Consultant at the Consumer Ombudsman: PDF
  • Lone Hjorth Mikkelsen, senior advisor at the Green Transition Denmark: PDF

The program for the day looked like this:

The conference is organized by:

Green Transition Denmark, in collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute, WSP Danmark A/S, Henning Larsen Architects and Søren Jensen Consulting Engineering Firm A/S.

The conference is financed by the Landowners' Investment Fund and Realdania, and is part of the project 'PFAS in new and existing building materials'.

By |2025-09-22T12:43:06+01:0022. September 2025|Article|Comments closed to Conclusions from PFAS conference
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Chemicals threaten our environment and health – Turn off the tap in municipalities

In municipalities all over the country, pollution with chemicals that are harmful to health is being detected. Particularly problematic are substances such as PFAS, which are called eternal chemicals because they do not break down in nature or the body. PFAS pollution has been found in drinking water wells, at fire stations, in soils and waterways – and this is causing concern among citizens and professionals.

We absorb chemicals through drinking water, food, air and skin contact., and exposure can lead to serious health effects, including hormonal disruptions, cancer, reduced fertility and weakened immune systems – children and pregnant women are particularly sensitive to the effects.

Municipalities play a crucial role in preventing and managing chemical pollution. Many sources of pollution are local: old landfills, industrial activities, the use of pesticides, and chemicals that are not removed in wastewater treatment plants and are thus discharged into nature.

The goal is for our municipalities to become green and sustainable places where drinking water is clean, nature is healthy, and citizens' health is not compromised by invisible but harmful chemicals.

We must protect citizens and future generations – and it starts in our own municipality.

By putting chemical pollution on the municipal agenda, you as a politician show responsibility for the environment, health and future generations. Use the 2025 election to lead the way – and make your municipality a pioneering municipality free of harmful chemicals.

Read the Green Transition Denmark's recommendations to municipalities here .

By |2025-10-16T10:04:47+01:0012. September 2025|Article|Comments closed to Chemicals threaten our environment and health – Turn off the tap in the municipalities
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Green Transition Denmark calls on the government and the Climate Council to pursue an ambitious climate target for 2035

The Climate Council's status report is undoubtedly reassuring reading for the government, as the report assesses that it is clear that Denmark can achieve the Climate Act's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030.

However, this does not mean that we can now sleep peacefully at night. On a number of points, the government is driving too close to the limit, and there is – as the Climate Council concludes – “a significant risk of missing the target”.

This is serious, because the global climate crisis has worsened in the past year. Temperatures were 1,6 degrees above pre-industrial levels, and more fossil fuels have been burned than ever before.

According to the Climate Council, "climate action on an unprecedented scale and speed" is needed if the UN Paris Agreement is to be complied with.

Green Transition Denmark shares this assessment. With the climate policy pursued in Denmark, in the EU and globally, we will break the Paris Agreement's 1,5 degree target over a 30-year trend as early as November 2029. And if governments do not change course, the projection shows that we will probably cross 2 degrees in April 2038, which will very likely trigger a number of critical global tipping points - including the Greenland ice sheet being doomed.

“In the Green Transition Council, we agree that climate action is needed on an unprecedented scale and speed. The climate crisis is now so serious that we can no longer be content with taking small steps and fine-tuning climate policy with unambitious revisits,” says Bjarke Møller, Director of the Green Transition Council. “It is positive that the Climate Council is calling on the government to take further measures so that we do not drive too close to the edge with too little safety margin. Much more significant and targeted action is needed in areas where a high climate impact for the money can be achieved over the next few years.”

CO2 capture and pyrolysis are unsafe measures with high risk

In the status report, the Climate Council assesses that there is a high risk that CO2 capture, pyrolysis and the removal of agricultural land for forests and nature will not deliver as large reductions as the government hopes. This is a risk that the Green Transition Denmark has long warned against.

"The government has invested far too heavily in the immature and uncertain CO2 capture at industrial point sources, and it is very uncertain whether pyrolysis can deliver as much as hoped for," says Bjarke Møller.

Some of these challenges can be addressed in future revisits, and here it would be a good idea to consider new instruments such as increased taxes on livestock, on carbon-rich soils, diesel and industry, as the Climate Council also recommends. Green Transition Denmark would like to see a general increase in the CO2 tax, gradually phased in for all sectors, to ensure a cost-effective climate transition.

The Climate Council recommends, among other things, that it would be a good idea to also expand the subsidy pools for CO2 capture, and in its two main scenarios, the Climate Council has focused far too much of its efforts on CO2 capture being able to support a significant part of the reduction effort. Green Transition Denmark does not support this recommendation.

"On the contrary, there is a high risk - as the Climate Council's report also shows - that CO2 capture will not live up to expectations," says Bjarke Møller, who would rather see more investment in energy efficiency and electrification with a view to phasing out fossil fuels, rather than uncertain CO2 capture and excessively high pyrolysis targets.

Set ambitious goals and increase the speed of action

A target for how much Denmark is allowed to emit in 2035 will soon be set, and the Climate Council recommends that a five-year budget target be set to provide a clear reduction path. It also calls for a number of new strategic benchmarks to be set for the consumption-based climate footprint, for the phasing out of fossil fuels, for the capacity of wind turbines and solar cells, for the climate footprint of public procurement and a greater shift to forests and nature. There is also a clear positive side benefit from considering climate considerations and biodiversity together.

"It is positive to move to a five-year plan and set strategic benchmarks. It is important to have some targets for Denmark's consumption-based climate footprint and a clear reduction path for the phasing out of fossil fuels," says Bjarke Møller.

The Green Transition Council recommends that Denmark press for the EU to set a higher reduction target for 2040 than the 90 percent reduction advocated by the Commission and the Danish government. In relation to the worsening climate crisis, where our carbon budget is running out, Denmark should at least reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent in 2030 and 90 percent in 2035, so that we can become a zero-emission society as early as 2040. This is both realistic and technologically and economically possible, assesses RGO, which has calculated the figures in its climate and energy report on “Clean energy within planetary boundaries in 2040”. The Council also recommends that the EU, towards 2040, at least reduce its CO2e emissions by 95 percent in order to reach net zero by 2045 at the latest.

"It requires historic action and political courage, but it is possible to reduce emissions by at least 90 percent by 2035 and reach net zero as early as 2040 in a cost-effective manner. This can be achieved if we invest in energy efficiency and turbocharge the expansion of solar and wind energy, batteries, hydropower and heat pumps, phase out fossil fuels in road transport, clear much larger areas of forest and switch to much more plant-based food production without the high animal footprint that characterizes industrialized agriculture," assesses Bjarke Møller.

The Climate Council has not taken a final position on whether Denmark's next climate target for 2035 should ensure an 80, 85 or 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, but it has presented a number of socio-economic calculations to illustrate how politicians can navigate,

According to RGO, these calculations are still "quite incomplete", as the Climate Council has not yet thoroughly calculated the benefits of energy efficiency, electrification of society, and they use far too high assumptions about the cost of removing extra tons of CO2 in road transport through the phasing in of electric cars. On the other hand, they have very optimistic assumptions about how cheap it is to capture CO2 from point sources, which do not take into account how inefficient and energy-intensive these solutions are compared to direct electrification, other technologies and a rapid phasing out of biomass burning.

We are in a global emergency

"The Climate Council could be a little more clear rather than dancing around the hot mess. In light of the seriousness of the climate crisis, there is a need for a high and ambitious reduction target for 2035 that ensures at least a 90 percent reduction. The social and economic costs of inaction will increase significantly in the coming years if we in Denmark and the EU move faster and higher," says Bjarke Møller.

"Unfortunately, there is no indication that governments have really understood the seriousness of the situation. We are in a global emergency, but the new US President Donald Trump wants to increase the extraction of fossil fuels, while he makes alliances with the fossil powers, including Russia, to sabotage the green transition," states Bjarke Møller.

According to Bjarke Møller, “the UN climate agreement is hanging by a thread after the US withdrew”, and the COP summits of recent years have not given rise to any optimism. And in Denmark, oil's share of gross energy consumption has been fairly stable over the past ten years. Over half of Denmark's total energy consumption is still fossil, and two-thirds of our calculated renewable energy comes from burning biomass, which damages the climate. The Climate Council claims in the report that there has been “a significant expansion of renewable energy” in Denmark, but in RGO's view, it is coming to a standstill, and the expansion of onshore and offshore wind is proceeding much more slowly than in our neighbouring countries.

By |2025-02-27T13:04:35+01:0027. February 2025|Article|Comments closed to the Green Transition Denmark calls on the government and the Climate Council to pursue an ambitious climate target for 2035
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A new model for agricultural quota trading: Efficient, simple and fair

To kick-start a fair and effective transition in agriculture, the sector must be integrated into the European emissions trading system. Agriculture's large climate impact is currently not covered by common and uniform EU requirements. Instead, agricultural emissions are regulated through widely differing national climate targets, which create major distortions of competition between agriculture in different EU countries and little incentive to develop new food technologies. This is unsustainable. By 2040, agriculture is expected to account for almost half of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions.

"There is a need for a common EU system with equal conditions of competition that promotes the transformation of agriculture. Common quota systems can do this, and the EU is also looking into this in recent years. Unfortunately, preliminary statements from the EU Commission point in the direction of a system that is both unambitious and complex. Therefore, we are now coming up with a new model for how agriculture can be included on an equal footing with other sectors when it comes to the EU's climate efforts," says Erik Tang, a senior consultant at the Green Transition Denmark, who is behind the report.

Central to the Green Transition Denmark's model is that agricultural emissions will be integrated into the EU's existing quota systems in the future. This ensures both the same prices for agricultural emissions as for other emissions in the EU and equal competitive conditions for agriculture across all EU countries.

Minimizes administrative hassle

The overall approach in the model is that agricultural climate emissions are most effectively reduced with a 'polluter pays' principle. And that this can best be achieved by including agriculture in the EU's existing quota systems. The basic principle of quota systems is that polluters must acquire and surrender one quota per tonne of CO2 emitted. The quota quantity is gradually reduced to agreed emission targets, and increasing scarcity of quotas means rising quota prices for emissions.

"The model minimizes the administrative hassle for the vast majority of farms. Suppliers of fossil oil and chemical fertilizers to agriculture are required to buy and deliver quotas for greenhouse gases from these sources and pass the costs on in prices to farmers. Low-lying lands with high emissions only maintain the EU's area subsidy if they are flooded. This is handled via the existing administration of EU support. Overall, it exempts the large proportion of pure crop farms from new administrative burdens," says Erik Tang.

Large livestock farms must be responsible for reporting and trading emissions from livestock and their manure. Many of them already do this. ARLA has long had a reporting system for dairy farms' greenhouse gases without major problems. However, reporting and buying quotas can be challenging for small livestock farms. For their livestock emissions, the model allows for the transfer of quota obligations to the processing industry, such as slaughterhouses and fertilizer producers.

"The way in which a quota system is decided will be crucial for its success. The Green Transition Council's model shows that the administrative burdens on agriculture can be minimized without cutting climate ambitions. If it is adopted, it will mark a decisive shift towards a more climate-friendly agricultural sector in the EU," says Erik Tang.

The Green Transition Council's model could work well with a Danish CO2 tax for agriculture. In addition, the Green Transition Council also proposes introducing a climate tax on agricultural goods imported into the EU to avoid agricultural production moving out as a result of the quota system.

Read more about the Green Transition Denmark's proposal in the memorandum 'Emissions trading for agriculture' and a summary of the model in a Danish policy brief 'A quota trading system for agriculture.'

By |2025-02-20T13:09:31+01:0020. February 2025|Article|Comments closed to A new model for agricultural quota trading: Efficient, simple and fair
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