Day: March 1, 2021

Latest publication: Status update report 2021: Denmark´s national and international climate efforts

The new Danish Climate Act from June 2020 stipulates that the Danish Climate Change Council (DCCC) is to make annual recommendations for and provide a status update on the Government´s climate efforts.

In its resent status update the DCCC concluded that despite a number of climate policy agreements between the Government and the Parliament,  it is not likely that the Government will achieve the target of a 70-percent reduction of greenhouse gases by 2030. The primary reason for this is that the Government has not made a concrete plan for how to fill two thirds of the emissions reduction gap remaining after implementation of the agreements adopted, the DCCC argues. Furthermore, the Government largely bases the remaining effort on new technologies without a proper plan on how to achieve the reductions.

The conclusion is followed by a set of recommendation by the DCCC. The Council recommends the Government to develop a national strategy on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as soon as possibly. The Council also recommends that the Government adopts additional policy measures in order to achieve extra emission reductions. Furthermore, the Council recommends the Government to ensure the implementation of a general greenhouse gas tax, which could support a cost-efficient fulfillment of Denmark`s climate objectives. Finally, the Council on Climate Change recommends a higher price on climate effects in socio-economic calculations and an accelerated re-wetting of drained peat soils.

The status update concludes that Denmark is close at fulfilling current EU energy- and climate obligations for 2030 by means of the policy agreements adopted in the recent year. Additional efforts are required to meet the Non-ETS obligation, though fulfillment of the 70 percent target is very likely to deliver on this obligation too. Expectedly, the EU will increase its overall reduction target for 2030 from 40 percent to at least 55 percent, and this might imply that Denmark and other Member States will be met with tighter obligations than today. Read More

EEAC Conference summary online: How to Deliver a Just Transition for All?

In late 2020, the Irish National Economic and Social Council (NESC) along with the EEAC, organized the 28th EEAC Annual Conference, entitled: ‘Delivering a Just Transition for All.’ The conference focused on possible responses to the pressure for change that follows multiple complex and overlapping pressures and necessary transitions, including: climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality and the impact of digital technology. Following the conference, the NESC published a Conference Report which examines and sumerizes the findings of the conference.

During the conference late 2020, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins provided the keynote address highlighting that ‘major transitions in our society and economy must be approached with the ‘Just Transition’ concept in mind’. Supporting this call the conference report, written by Sinead Mercier, highlights a number of practical ways to support a just transition and build resilience: These include: A) Targeting supports at impacted workers and their wider communities, taking into account local context and history; B) Developing and co-designing an inclusive participatory process with those most impacted, at an early stage; C) Setting out a clear, coherent vision and pathway forward drawing on just transition principles; D) Creating well-defined personnel restructuring processes to ensure an orderly phase-out for workers; and E) Using public-sector investment and supporting institutions to help drive the transition.

In a response to the Conference Report’s publication, Director of NESC, Dr. Larry O’Connell said that: ‘the conference report helps us to think about how we can deliver the transformation required to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies while at the same time, using the principles of justice, fairness, equality and equity act as a lever and guide to shape policies and practices’. Read More