It is the intention of the Danish government to make Denmark completely independent of fossil fuels. A crucial step on the way is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in Denmark. This is also a target for Denmark under the Kyoto Protocol
The EU and the member states ratified the Kyoto Protocol on May 31st 2002, and thereby collectively committed themselves to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 8 pct. for the period 2008-12 compared to 1990. Denmark has also formally agreed to commit itself to two specific obligations in relation to the Kyoto Protocol:
- A commitment (as a part of the EU’s internal burden sharing mechanism from 1998) to reduce the national greenhouse gas emissions by 21 pct. in the period 2008-12 in relation to the base year 1990, due to a large import of electricity. This is the commitment which Denmark bases its plans upon, and the latest projection shows that Denmark should reach this target.
Denmark’s performance of the Kyoto commitments.
The Danish effort to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions is determined in the Danish allocation plan from 2007 also known as the NAP (the National Allocation Plan). The NAP presents the strategy for the initiatives to be implemented in order to satisfy the Danish reduction target at 21 pct. on average in the period 2008-12 compared to the level in 1990.
The allocation plan is based on a projection of how Denmark’s greenhouse gas emissions and other influencing factor will develop during the Kyoto period. As time has gone by, many factors have changed and will accordingly change the assessment of how the target is met. The development is therefore observed continuously. The Danish Energy Agency is responsible for the surveillance of the development of the accomplishment of the Danish Kyoto commitments. Read more here.
Limit for the emissions in the EU
In order to contribute to the member countries’ compliance of the Kyoto Commitments the EU established a common CO2-emission trading scheme (European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) in 2005. The emission trading scheme contains a limit for the level of emissions which ensures an acceptable level of pollution. Simultaneously the trading scheme ensures that the reductions are achieved from the polluters that have the lowest emission reduction costs. Approximately 380 Danish companies are included in the EU regulation.
International climate projects
The Kyoto Protocol allows that countries can buy credits by contributing to the climate effort abroad. This can be done through Joint Implementation (JI) or Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM). Denmark already has quite efficient energy utilization. Therefore cost effective reductions are often achieved through supporting the efforts in development countries and in Eastern Europe.
Besides the effect on the climate the projects work as a channel to transfer knowledge to the involved host countries and support the promotion of a sustainable development. Denmark supplements its national effort through the use of JI and CDM credits. The EU has set a limit on the use of JI and CDM credits – the so called "supplementarity requirement" – to ensure that member countries are not neglecting the domestic efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which Denmark is in compliance with. Read more about Denmarks JI and CDM programs here.
What will happen after 2012?
The current endurance of the Kyoto Protocol on the industrialized countries efforts runs until the end of 2012. In order to prevent gaps in the international climate legislation there is a need for a new climate agreement. To effectively prevent climate change, a new agreement has to include all countries. Whether such an agreement includes a new period of commitment under the Kyoto or is shaped as a new overall agreement for all the world countries, is negotiable. However, dealing with 193 countries, the effort to achieve consensus on a global climate agreement is not to be neglected. This was clearly highlighted by the negotiations in the Bella Centre in December.
After the COP15 in Copenhagen the climate negotiations continue in 2010. In the Copenhagen Accord there is a solid base for further negotiations. During the Danish presidency of the COP15, Denmark made a substantial effort in promoting the climate negotiations. In 2010 Denmark will maintain a significant effort in close cooperation with Mexico until they formally take over the presidency on the first day of COP16 I November.
The EU Climate and Energy Package from December 2008 laid the tracks for 2012, particularly with the centrally determined and harmonized allocation of allowances. The target is a total reduction of greenhouse gasses in the EU at least at 20 pct. under the 1990-level and an increased share of renewable energy sources in the energy use by 20 pct. before 2020, and 10 pct. renewable energy sources in the transport sector prior to 2020. Denmark's share of renewable energy sources in the domestic energy consumption should reach 30 pct. prior to 2020.