Denmark aims for low-carbon by 2050

This is how we want to see politics work: three political parties and one alliance in Denmark have agreed on a bill to make their climate commitments the law. The Social Democrats, Conservative People’s Party, Socialist People’s Party, and the Red-Green Alliance came together to ensure a long-term green commitment for the country.

“The broad agreement on the 40% reduction of greenhouse gasses, to ensure meeting the ambitious targets that the government has set, will continue, even after an election,” Denmark’s new climate minister Rasmus Helveg Petersen said. “The Conservatives have announced their commitment to an agreement among the parties who take responsibility for the climate.”

The bill will legally require Denmark to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990′s levels by 2020. It will also require the government to set national greenhouse gas targets every five years. An independent climate council will also be established to monitor and evaluate the country’s climate policy.

Mattias Soderberg, a senior climate advisor at DanChurchAid, Denmark said the law would be important in ensuring long term green growth in the country. “The best part of it is that this is not just a law to make the 40% by 2020 target stronger,” he told RTCC. “This is a law to make Denmark low carbon society by 2050. With this law Denmark is starting to outline how this process will be done.”

Denmark wants to use 100% renewable energy by 2050, and this bill will be a significant step toward that goal. They’re also going to push for more ambitious goals within the entire European Union.

See more: Danish parties back 40% carbon reduction target.