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Danish climate efforts in international perspective

The Danish Council on Climate Change has carried out an analysis which shows that Denmark is not spearheading the green transition, but rather lies in the middle of a group of ambitious countries with which we normally compare ourselves.

It is often claimed in the Danish debate that Denmark's climate efforts are far ahead of all other countries. Focusing solely on the real reduction of greenhouse gases, the Danish Council on Climate Change shows that Denmark takes second place in comparison to 10 other wealthy countries and this is largely due to the fact that Denmark has had lower economic growth than in the other countries.

However, if one focuses on the contribution to this reduction which is made by the green transition, Denmark ranks in fourth place out of the analysis of 11 countries behind the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands. This contribution measures the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions relative to GDP, a measurement which assesses the action required to allow us to produce more without emitting additional greenhouse gases.

A working paper and fact sheet on Denmark's climate efforts in an international context can be downloaded from the menu.

The subject of Denmark's climate efforts in an international context is also addressed in the Danish Council on Climate Change report Converting with care - status and challenges for Danish climate policy. Read the first report by the Danish Council on Climate change here.