http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/01/us-climatechange-denmark-idUSKBN0IL35R20141101
Denmark’s Climate, Energy and Building Minister (Helveg Petersen) has made a tentative proposal that the country will phase out of coal use by 2025, even stating that the cost, “would not be significant.” Denmark has been known to have a very green track record. However, the record downsizing in coal use is aside from the amount they use: 6 million tons a year, and coal constitutes about 1/3 of electricity use. As details are being worked out, some estimates say that wind turbines will generate over half of all the country’s electricity by 2020.
Goals like these made me think about two different components. 1) Political motives or impacts and 2) How the country was culturally accepting of a shift. Firstly, Denmark gets a good deal of its coal from Russia, according to the article. What impact would goals like these have on imports/exports on the global market? If other countries began mapping out proposals, how would some countries respond as opposed to others? Second, the article also detailed lifestyle choices of the Danes that makes a goal like this seem acceptable: “41 percent of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school”, for example. Copenhagen has cycle lanes, has cleaned up the polluted water, and created livable environments for families. As we’ve all noticed bike sharing systems popping up in places like NYC, how far away do you think the US is from being culturally accepting of national green goals? Thinking back on the 60s and 70s grassroots movement, in what ways can the public begin to take more individual and/or structural interest in supporting environmental goals?
Many people argue that Coal is the answer to our energy problem here in the United States to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I would be interested to know what resources Denmark has within its borders to support the energy it needs.