green thinking
For hundreds of years, Denmark was a society based on agriculture and fishing, and Danes still feel closely tied to the land and the water around them. This respect for nature is why Denmark is a pioneer in promoting sustainability.
Sustainability means different things to different people. To the Danes, sustainability is a holistic approach that includes renewable energy, water management, waste recycling, and green transportation including the bicycling culture.
Through decades of extraordinary and sustained efforts, Denmark has built a world-class green energy system that delivers a cleaner everyday life and more green energy.
In particular, Denmark has focused on making buildings more energy-efficient, an important contributor in a country where heating is required for more than half of the year.
Danish companies are among the global market leaders when it comes to making buildings efficient, particularly Rockwool (insulation), Velux (windows), Danfoss (heating applications), and Grundfos (careful use of water.)
Denmark is keen to do its part in helping the United Nations to achieve its 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and has developed a specific action plan to address both environmental sustainability and social goals like equality and inclusion.
Another field in which Denmark is setting the course for sustainability is shipping.
Denmark is the sixth biggest shipping nation in the world and the Danish company Maersk Line is the world's largest container shipping operator, shipping 12 million containers every year.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shipping is responsible for 2-3% of the world's greenhouse gases. This means that the potential and impact of decarbonising international shipping is great. As a major maritime power, Denmark has a responsibility to use its influence to advance shipping globally.
As a first step towards having a fully carbon-neutral fleet by 2050, Maersk Line has announced that it will operate the world's first carbon-neutral cargo vessel by 2023.
The plan is to operate the vessel on carbon neutral e-methanol, which is produced by using renewable sources such as biomass and solar energy, or sustainable bio-methanol as soon as possible.
In Denmark, we drink our water directly from the tap test
In the very middle of Denmark lies Samso island, famous for its delicious potatoes. Since 2007, Samso has been 100 per cent sustainable, relying entirely on renewable energy such as wind, solar, and biomass energy.
To meet that goal, many of Samso's inhabitants replaced their oil-burning heaters and insulated their homes.
Now the island is implementing a new strategy for re-using all waste. A new biogas plant will even produce the necessary power for the ferry "Princess Isabella" that connects Samso with mainland Denmark.
The Danes have a tiny country and some strange green ideas
