According to the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), without new measures, Denmark will fall short of meeting its Climate Act target to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 70% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, reducing emissions by only 44% by 2030. In December 2019, the Danish parliament adopted a new Climate Act with a legally binding objective to reduce GHG emissions by 70% by 2030 (compared to the 1990 level). Consequently, Denmark will have to cut GHG emissions by an additional 26 points, or 20 MtCO2eq, by 2030.
Like all EU member states, Denmark has a binding 40% GHG emission reduction target for 2030 in its nationally determined contribution (NDC) but the country has adopted more ambitious targets. In 2010, the Green Energy roadmap set a target of reducing GHG emissions by 40% by 2020 and by 80%-95% by 2050 compared to 1990. This should be achieved through higher wind power generation (50% of power generation by 2020) and a coal-fired generation phase-out by 2030 (-50% in coal consumption by 2020). Denmark now intends to reach net-zero emission by 2050 and to cover 100% of power consumption with renewable energy by 2027.