On Friday evening 6 December 2019 Folketinget - the Danish Parliament - passed an ambitious new Climate Act that commits the country to reduce emissions by 2030 to 70% of the levels recorded in 1990 and is set to make Denmark a pioneer for green political action.

This act will have a major impact on planning and on architecture and construction and on design for manufacturing and will influence the way people live day to day.

In the future the Climate Act may well be considered as far reaching in its effect on Danish life as the social reforms of 1933 and the EC referendum of 1972.

At the core of the act is a commitment to reduce emissions of climate-changing pollutants to 70% of levels in 1990 by 2030 and this is now entrenched in law and aspects of the legislation prevent Danish companies from exporting pollution by moving production out of the country. The importance of collaboration with other countries and global commitments are recognised in the legislation.

To prevent problems being kicked down the road, a new climate plan will have to be produced every five years with updated assessments and commitments for the reduction of greenhouses gases for the following ten years and at the beginning of each year there will be an assessment to ensure that the government's climate policy is on track and meeting climate targets. Ministers will be accountable to a Climate Council and the Parliamentary Climate, Energy and Utilities Committee.

Politicians understand that people will feel the consequences in terms of both taxes and controls on behaviour particularly in agriculture and in the major Danish sectors of transport and energy.

The Act will be followed by a Climate Action Plan in the Spring.

the entrance to Folketinget / The Danish Parliament

Measures to reduce the carbon footprint covers four strategic categories:
Food: Plant-based and animal-based food production and food processing
Transport: Production of vehicles and other transport equipment, fuel, and transport services and this covers land and air travel
Manufacturing: Manufactured products and services covering appliances, clothing, furniture, financial services, education, health services, and retail
Building: Construction, waste treatment, real estate services, household fuel