Denmark plants 1 billion trees and converts farmland

Danish lawmakers agreed on 18 November 2024 to plant one billion trees over the next two decades and convert 10% of agricultural land into forests and natural habitats in order to reduce the use of fertilisers.

The government described the agreement as “the greatest change to the Danish landscape in over 100 years.” “Danish nature will change in a way we have not seen since the draining of the wetlands in 1864,” said Jeppe Bruus, head of the Danish Ministry for Environmental Affairs, which was created to implement an agreement concluded in June between farmers, industry, trade unions and environmental groups.

Under the agreement, 43 billion kroner (6.1 billion dollars) have been allocated to acquire land from farmers over the next two decades, the government said. An additional 250,000 hectares are to see Danish forests grow, and a further 140,000 hectares currently farmed on climate-damaging, low-lying soils are to be returned to nature.

Currently, 14.6% of the land area is covered by forests. The agreement was reached by the Danish three-party government — comprising the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the moderate centre — along with the Socialist People's Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Alliance and the Social Liberal Party. A parliamentary vote on the agreement is considered a formality.

In June, the government announced that livestock farmers will be taxed from 2030 for the greenhouse gases emitted by their cows, sheep and pigs. This makes it the first country to do so, as it targets a major source of methane emissions, one of the most potent gases contributing to global warming.

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