Net-Zero Dialogue|Dorthe Lange

Date:2022-01-06

Source: China-Europe-America Wechat Official Account

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Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, Dorthe Lange's Speech


The Glasgow Climate Pact puts the world within reach of the 1.5 degrees target. I hope that the text will compel countries to show up at COP27 next year in Egypt with stronger targets in order to close the ambition gap.

 

Cooperation and coordination between China, America and Europe will be crucial in driving the global green agenda. Not only towards COP27, but in the decades to come.

 

That underlines the importance of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative and events like the China-Europe-America Net-Zero Transition Platform, which is supported and co-organized by Innovation Centre Denmark in Shanghai.

 

I am delighted to have been invited to give a speech and I appreciate the opportunity to share with you the story of Denmark’s transition from black to green. 

 

Denmark is a small country but we are committed to work together with the global community to raise ambitions and fight climate change.

 

By sharing our experiences, we seek to inspire other countries with solutions to leapfrog sustainable development and avoid making some of the same mistakes that we did.

 

We do so in multilateral frameworks, in which we consider the EU, China and the US to be essential partners, but also through green government-to-government cooperation with 19 of the world’s largest emitters, including China and the US. Combined these 19 countries account for 2/3 of global emissions.

 

This year, Denmark also launched the Danish Energy Transition Initiative, which seeks to help countries across the globe on their path towards greener energy systems. Aiming for early implementation of renewables, energy efficient solutions and sustainable energy planning. The initiative takes off in Brazil, Colombia and Pakistan.

 

The three initial partner countries are all standing at the foot of an increase in their electricity consumption towards 2030.

 

Facing a growing need to produce more with less, the partners seek to work with Denmark in securing a transition with a higher share of renewables while focusing on energy efficiency at large. In staying ahead of the development, the efforts seek viable solutions and policies as early as possible.

 

The story of our own green transition begins a few decades ago, when Denmark was entirely dependent on imported oil and other fossil fuels.

 

In 1972, oil accounted for 92% of gross energy consumption in Denmark. So when the OPEC oil crisis quadrupled the price of oil in 1973, the Danish economy and energy supply were hit hard. Very hard.

 

While some short-term measures such as the introduction of Car-Free Sundays in Denmark during the 1973/74 winter were launched, the crisis became a catalyst for new long-term energy planning.

 

From then on, Denmark began constructing district heating using surplus heat from power plants, improving energy efficiency in buildings, developing the use of renewable energy and making the entire system more efficient and sustainable.


By doing so, we have transitioned from a fossil-based economy and managed to decouple our economic growth from a rising energy demand.

 

Thus, over the past four decades, Denmark’s economy has grown approximately 80%, while energy consumption remains largely unchanged. 

 

Now, decades later, in 2020 the Danish parliament adopted the national Climate Act, which sets legally binding targets, and lays down the foundation for continued climate action.

 

Near-term, we have established a target of achieving a 70% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

 

Long-term, the goal is to become climate neutral and 100% independent of fossil fuels by 2050.

 

According to our latest national projections, renewable energy will cover 100% of Danish electricity consumption in 2028 and 58% of our overall energy consumption in 2030.

 

With wind and solar providing 50% of our electricity consumption, and coal supplying less than 3% of the national gross energy consumption in 2020, Denmark is well on the way to an energy system that is virtually fossil-free.

 

However, we are not quite there yet.

 

The next phase of Denmark’s green transition is very much a matter of electrification, and the list of climate related initiatives is growing.

 

Allow me to give you an example.

 

30 years ago, in 1991, the world’s first offshore wind farm called Vindeby or “Wind City” was built of the coast of Denmark. It totaled 5MW. A few weeks ago we had to make a lucky draw because 3 developers all offered to build 1 GW offshore wind without any subsidies. Denmark has some of the world’s most stable, green and cheap electricity. And we will continue to lower the price on electricity from wind.

 

Last year, the Danish Parliament decided to begin preparations for the construction of the world’s first energy island, which will be located in the North Sea.

 

It is one of the government's flagship projects for the green transition in Europe. The artificial island will become an energy hub with up to 10 GW by connecting hundreds of giant wind turbines, which will produce yet unseen amounts of green electricity.

 

It will be a public-private partnership between the Danish state and private companies. Fully implemented, it will be able to cover the consumption of 10 million European households. It will be supplemented by another energy island in the Baltic Sea.

 

In addition, a broad majority in the Danish Parliament has recently made a historic decision on the future of fossil extraction in the North Sea. It will be fully phased out by 2050.

 

In Denmark, we consider this an important step for our joint, global effort to curb demand for fossil fuels, and we are now calling on friends and allies around the world to do the same.

 

Therefore, I would like to end my speech by highlighting the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, which was launched by 11 national and sub-national governments during COP26.

 

It is co-chaired by Costa Rica and Denmark, and the member list include France, Greenland, Ireland, Quebec, Sweden, and Wales as core members; and California, New Zealand, and Portugal as associate members.

 

The Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance is a first-of-its-kind alliance of governments, who are determined to set an end date for their oil and gas exploration and extraction, as well as curtailing new licensing and undertaking other measures that contribute to the joint goal of aligning oil and gas production with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

 

The coalition aims to elevate the issue of oil and gas production phase-out in international climate dialogues and will leverage momentum from first-movers to create an international community of practice that can support governments in delivering their commitment to a managed phase-out of oil and gas production.

 

Recent reports from the UN Environment Programme, the International Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have made it clear, that significant reductions in coal, oil and natural gas are imperative to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.

 

So is increasing global ambitions. COP26 once again reminded us that the climate crisis is not something of the future. It is already here, and we need to take action. Urgently.

 

Thank you very much.

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