Energy Strategy 2050 – from coal, oil and gas

The goal of the Danish government is independence
from coal, oil and gas by 2050. With this move to fossil
fuel independence, Denmark will also satisfy two other
important ambitions:
• Denmark will maintain a high security of supply and
ensure stable, affordable energy supply. Security
of supply will be a key challenge in a future, where
the global demand for energy is growing in line with
population growth and economic growth, and where
the remaining oil and gas resources will be concentrated
in few, and often politically unstable, countries.
• Denmark will contribute to limiting global climate
change as agreed in Copenhagen 2009 and in
Cancún 2010. Therefore, Denmark must contribute
to meeting the EU objective to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in 2050 by 80-95% compared with
1990 levels. This requires the transition to an economy
with low greenhouse gas emissions.
Denmark will maintain a high
level of energy security of supply
Figure 0.1. Effects of independence of fossil fuel
Independence of fossil fuel
In addition, the government’s strategy for fossil fuel independence
will help secure and develop the strength of
Danish companies within the fields of new green energy,
climate and environmental technology. A stronger coupling
between innovation, production and deployment
will improve companies’ opportunities to take advantage
of the increasing global demand for green technologies
in order to create growth and employment.
Energy Strategy 2050 fulfils the government’s pledge
as set forth in its work plan “Denmark 2020”, that it
would present a target for when Denmark is to become
independent of fossil fuels, as well as a strategy to meet
this target.
At the same time, Energy Strategy 2050 supports and
meets a number of Denmark’s ambitious targets in the
climate and energy area in the government’s work plan,
in the national energy agreement for 2008-2011, and as
a consequence of the EU climate and energy package
from 2008.
Denmark will contribute its
share to curbing global warming
Demark will harvest opportunities for green growth and employment
Energy Strategy 2050 – from coal, oil and gas to green energy.
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