Denmark ranks first on the EPI index and there are a number of reasons why.
To the Danes, sustainability is a holistic approach which includes renewable energy, water management, waste recycling and green transportation, including cycling culture.
Denmark has a world-class green energy system with 30% of all energy used coming from renewable sources. More than two thirds of Denmark’s renewable energy comes from bioenergy, which is stored in organic material or biomass. In 2019, Denmark generated half of its electricity from wind and solar power!
Danish power plants are switching from fossil fuels to biomass (wood pellets, wood chips, or straw), and ensure that there is a strong focus on securing sustainable biomass. Denmark has also focused on making buildings more energy-efficient, which is important as heating is required in the country for more than half of the year.
Nearly two thirds of Danish households are supplied with district heating where the heat is distributed to citizens as hot water in pipes, with half of fuel for district heating coming from biomass and other sources of renewable energy.
A great example of sustainability is the island of Samso, in the middle of Denmark, which since 2007 has been 100% sustainable. The island relies on entirely renewable energy, such as wind, solar and biomass, and is the world’s first island to do so. Samso, which has an area of 43 square miles, has a small population of around 4000, residing in 22 villages, and relying on 11 turbines to generate the power to make each village self-sufficient.
Additionally, the country has effective policy covering all of the important environmental issues and in 2020 passed The Climate Act, a target set to reduce Denmark’s emissions by 70% in 2030 compared to 1990, and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark; Denmark.dk
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