The author of one of the most ambitious climate plans in the European Union says 2020 was a turning point that’s left him optimistic about the future of the planet. Although the year showed the scale of the effort needed — with temperatures rising despite lockdowns across the world that brought most economies to a virtual standstill — Danish Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen says there’s cause to be more upbeat. He points to the EU’s latest climate deal and the U.S. election, which will bring the world’s biggest economy back into the Paris agreement.
Dan Jorgensen
Source: Denmark Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities
“It is remarkable that closing down our societies has not led us anywhere near the level of reductions we need, so behavioral changes alone won’t do it,” Jorgensen said in an interview in Copenhagen. But while the analysis is often negative, “there are reasons for optimism and to celebrate as well,” he said. Jorgensen ended the year with a pledge to cease oil exploration in the EU’s biggest crude producer. The move prompted Greenpeace to say, “this is what climate leadership looks like,” and is part of a plan to slash 70% off Denmark’s carbon emissions by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. More ambitious than the 55% targeted by the EU, it puts the Danes at the absolute forefront of the bloc’s efforts to protect the environment.
The pandemic triggered a wave of fiscal relief that’s opened the door to some of the boldest climate initiatives yet. Eight of the world’s 10 largest economies, including China and Japan, have set goals to reach net-zero emission within decades. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden wants the U.S. to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Financial Rewards
Denmark’s path toward a carbon-neutral economy suggests there are financial rewards to be reaped. The country started investing heavily in wind energy in the 1970s. It now gets more than 40% of its electricity from wind power.