An ambitious and long-term climate policy in the EU will create jobs, strengthen competitiveness and put Europe at the forefront of the fight against climate change, according to the newly formed network of Danish business leaders in association with Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, Martin Lidegaard, who today launches a Danish branch of the EU Green Growth Business Platform.

"It is important that politicians and businesses work together to set ambitious targets for the European transition. With ambitious targets and guidelines, there is huge scope for stable investments in green initiatives. In this way, we can together make the most profit out of the economic and climatic opportunities that exist under an ambitious and green climate policy. It is simply in everybody’s interests to create the best conditions for companies who want to contribute to the development of this green transition", says Martin Lidegaard.

12 of Denmark's largest companies push for green growth

Twelve of the Denmark’s largest companies have met in Brussels with the Climate, Energy and Building minister, Martin Lidegaard, for an informal discussion of the EU 2030 framework on climate and energy policy. The meeting is also the starting point for the formation of a Danish branch of the informal European network, EU Green Growth Business Platform, which gathers climate-friendly companies from across the member states, all of whom agree to the need for an ambitious green transition in the EU.

The network's creation is an extension of the Green Growth Summit, where 150 European business leaders, commission members, ministers and MEPs gather to discuss how the fight against climate change can go hand in hand with green transformation and economic growth.

On the Danish side, both the Minister and the network indicated their support for the need for a long-term framework to ensure sustainable growth, innovation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. At the same time, they wish to ensure that the EU's dependence on imports of fossil fuels is reduced. If successful, such efforts will not only benefit the climate but will also create new jobs in the EU and strengthen competitiveness.

To optimally support this development, the network points to the need for measures governing both greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency. This is because a unilateral reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 does not sufficiently ensure the development and deployment of sustainable energy and energy efficiency practices as member states can choose to meet these targets using unsustainable resources. Only with clear, binding targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency can European businesses have the necessary security and the right incentives to invest in sustainable technologies.

The Danish companies behind the start-up are:

Danfoss, DONG Energy, Grundfos , Vestas, Novozymes, Rockwool, Siemens Denmark, VELUX A/S, Kamstrup , SE, ScanEnergy and Clever.

Source: Danish Ministry for Climate, Energy and Building

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