New report: Here are the climate challenges in the Region of Southern Denmark

Both good and bad.

In short, that is the state of the climate efforts across the 22 municipalities in Southern Denmark. This is outlined in a new report prepared by researchers from SDU.Resilience, in collaboration with researchers from Aalborg University and Roskilde University for the Region of Southern Denmark.

In many areas, the region is doing very well, the researchers conclude.

For example, by 2030, the Region of Southern Denmark is still expected to have reduced its total greenhouse gas emissions by 71% – one percentage point more than the national target. At least, that is the case if all the green plans put forward by the municipalities are realised.

The report also shows that nearly all municipalities have begun to prepare for the increasing volumes of water – both in the form of extreme rainfall and rising sea levels and storm surges.

- The Region of Southern Denmark has played a crucial role in strengthening local climate action, by starting several initiatives in its territory that have then brought benefits at the national scale, and that is essential, because many of the climate challenges we face cannot be solved by individual town halls, but require cooperation across municipal borders, says Clarissa Attombri from SDU.Resilience.

- Now the torch has been passed on to the municipalities and the other actors in the Climate Alliance, which must ensure the implementation of the plans already laid out and address the problems that remain unresolved.

No focus on drought and heat

However, there are also several areas where the municipalities in the Region of Southern Denmark are far from being able to tick off boxes for green transition and climate adaptation.

One of these is resilience against drought and heatwaves, for which none of the 22 municipalities have developed specific initiatives, even though it is expected to become an increasingly serious problem.

- Drought and heatwaves have traditionally not been something we associated with Northern Europe, but that is changing. We are already seeing longer dry spells and more extreme heat events, says Nicola Tollin, professor and head of SDU.Resilience.

- Therefore, it is important that climate adaptation plans not only focus on water from above and from the coasts, but also on water scarcity and the effects of heat on health, agriculture and urban environments.

Also, not all municipalities have yet calculated the loss and damages from climate change and, for instance, extreme weather incidents in the case the cities do not react in time by mitigating and adapting. This is, the researchers say, crucial for motivating action.

Agricultural emissions

Another major regional challenge is agriculture. Or what is known in research circles as AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use), which in Denmark and in this context primarily refers to livestock and cultivated land.

It is, for instance, agriculture in the municipalities that is currently preventing the 2050 goal of climate neutrality from being achievable. Because other sectors are transitioning much faster, the share of the region’s emissions from agriculture is set to rise from 41%, last measured in 2019, to 64% in 2050.

However, there is hope that the ongoing green tripartite negotiations on converting agricultural land into forest and wild nature will change this picture.

- Agricultural emissions are the biggest and fastest growing challenge in the Region of Southern Denmark, so it will be crucial that the green tripartite delivers real solutions, says Clarissa Attombri.

Also regarding the green tripartite, the report identifies numerous challenges.

The researchers argue that a shared regional map is needed to show where land is available and where land is needed, to better plan activities such as afforestation. There is also a need for financial instruments that enable municipalities to calculate the actual costs of buying or leasing land for climate efforts.

The researchers also recommend providing guidance and support to farmers to help them transition their farms to more sustainable operations, and propose the establishment of a national certificate for food products from regenerative and climate-friendly farms.

You can read the full report here.