Denmark’s new government aims to be the greenest in history

After months of negotiations, Denmark's new green government aims to be "the greenest" yet, with bold commitments on renewable energy, biodiversity and security of supply. Discover the green priorities behind Denmark's government - and meet the ministers responsible for delivering them.

Photo credit: Statsministeriet

By State of Green | [email protected]

3 June 2026

Denmark has a new government. And it has set aims of being “the greenest government” in Danish history.

After several weeks of negotiations, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen presented a new centre-left coalition government earlier this week. The so-called “four-leaf clover government” (firkløverregeringen) is made up of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne), the Socialist People’s Party (SF), the Moderates (Moderaterne) and the Danish Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre).

Driven by what it describes as a determination to be “the greenest government” in Danish history, the coalition has placed the green transition, clean drinking water and energy security at the heart of its programme.

For international partners watching Denmark, the political platform signals continuity in ambition — and a sharpened framing in which climate action, competitiveness and security are treated as inseparable.

Why Denmark’s new government calls itself the greenest yet

The government’s founding document, Det politiske grundlag for firkløverregeringen (June 2026), opens with a clear commitment: to hand over a greener and more sustainable Denmark to coming generations, with more nature, clean drinking water, sustainable food production and secure, affordable green energy.

A sustainable Denmark

The new government frames the coming years as a period of profound change for the Danish landscape. Building on the Green Tripartite Agreement, some 390,000 hectares of land are set to be converted to nature, wetlands and new forest, while a CO2 levy on livestock production is introduced and efforts to reduce oxygen depletion in Danish fjords and coastal waters are strengthened.

The government has also set goals to protect the surrounding environment and drinking water. Among the headline ambitions: a new nature and biodiversity law with the goal of protecting 30 percent of Denmark’s total land area — of which 10 percent is to be strictly protected.

Green, affordable and secure energy

Energy is where the government’s ambition meets its security framing most directly.

The government describes Europe’s dependence on imported fossil fuels as both a security threat and an economic burden, and argues that Denmark – already a producer of its own renewable energy – should now “turn up the dial” with comprehensive electrification, a more ambitious climate target and major investment in both renewable production and the infrastructure needed to supply Danish businesses, consumers and neighbouring countries with clean power.

The government has also committed to setting aside 268 million EURO (2 billion DKK) annually for electrification and energy.

The Danish Government 2026

Denmark’s new government – the four-leaf clover coalition (firkløverregeringen) of the Social Democrats, SF, the Moderates and the Social Liberals – has been announced after months of negotiations.

The above-mentioned priorities are stated ambitions, commissions and plans-to-come as much as enacted policy, and the government itself notes that priorities must be able to flex to security shocks in the years ahead.

Discover the priorities of the Danish Goverment (In Danish)

Meet the ministers behind Denmark’s green agenda

The new government counts 21 ministers – and, for the first time in Danish history, more women than men around the cabinet table.

Several appointments are particularly relevant to Denmark’s green and energy agenda.

Martin Lidegaard (Danish Social Liberal Party): Minister for Business and Competitiveness

The political leader of Radikale Venstre, Lidegaard becomes Minister for Business and Competitiveness.

He brings a long track record of senior roles, having previously served as his party’s finance and foreign affairs spokesperson — and, earlier in his career, as Denmark’s Climate and Energy Minister and Foreign Minister.

His portfolio places him at the centre of the platform’s competitiveness, electrification and green-industry agenda.

Samira Nawa (Danish Social Liberal Party): Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities

Samira Nawa takes over the climate, energy and utilities portfolio after Lars Aagaard.

Nawa has served as her party’s climate, energy and utilities spokesperson since 2022, stepping directly into the policy area she knows best. This is her first ministerial post.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen (the Moderates): Minister for Foreign Affairs

The leader of the Moderates continues as Foreign Minister, a post he held in the previous SVM government.

Løkke Rasmussen carries forward Denmark’s diplomatic engagement on energy security, EU cooperation and the international dimension of the green transition.

Maria Reumert Gjerding (Socialist People's Party): Minister for the Environment

Maria Reumert Gjerding moves into government from her role as president of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening), entering the cabinet for SF.

A long-standing voice on environment, climate, agriculture and biodiversity, she takes responsibility for the environment portfolio.

Christian Rabjerg Madsen (Social Democrats): Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare

Christian Rabjerg Madsen heads a brand-new ministry — Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare — created as part of the restructuring, absorbing responsibilities from the former Green Tripartite Ministry and the dissolved food and agriculture ministry.

Madsen has described his task as ensuring that the green ambitions set out in the government’s platform are turned into reality.