Although Denmark is a small country, we want to play an important role in the fight against climate change. This is reflected in our ambitious and continuing commitment to green research and innovation, which enables scientists and companies in collaboration to develop the climate solutions of the future.

However, identifying the climate solutions and technologies that have the greatest impact on CO2 emissions is a complex and high-risk task. The severe and rapidly growing climate challenges the world is facing require countries such as Denmark to use resources in the most efficient way.

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Ambitious panel of researchers and companies

That is why Innovation Fund Denmark has set up an ambitious climate solutions panel consisting of the country's leading climate scientists, top executives from many of the country's largest companies, interest groups, authorities and more. They have been tasked with identifying the climate solutions and technologies that - based on Danish positions of strength - can have the greatest benefit for CO2 emissions and the climate.

After six months of working, this process has now been completed and in a new report the Climate Solutions Panel identifies a number of climate solutions across five areas, which both represent the vast majority of Denmark's total emissions, and at the same time are areas where Denmark has existing research and commercial positions of strength:

1. Sustainable agriculture and food
2. Energy and storage
3. Alternative fuels and transport
4. Construction and smart buildings
5. Manufacturing and materials

All five areas include solutions where Danish innovation has the potential to create the largest reduction of CO2 emissions anchored in Danish strongholds within research, business and regulation.

Concrete climate solutions

The solutions include alternative fuels for transport, climate-friendly food production, digitisation and energy efficiency in the construction and manufacturing industries - and especially a continuous and strong focus on renewable energy storage and so-called power-2-X.

Areas and solutions that specify the green themes that the Innovation Fund Denmark is assigned to implement in the light of the recent political agreement on the allocation of the Danish research pool for 2020.

The Climate Solutions Panel's recommendation on research and innovation in the selected areas can help to achieve the political goal of reducing Denmark's total greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent by 2030 (compared to 1990) - and clear the way for Denmark to become a zero-emission society by 2050.

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“We are the first generation that can feel the climate changes and the last one able to do something about it. There is no doubt that scientists and companies' collaboration on research and innovation is a key to many of the climate challenges we face. It is necessary that all ideas are brought into play in order for us to reach our goals,” said the Danish Minister of Education and Research Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen.

“The clock is ticking in the climate battle. We must act quickly, ambitiously and efficiently. For this reason, I am pleased that the Climate Solutions Panel with it effort has expanded our knowledge on how Innovation Fund Denmark invests in the most efficient climate solutions. It is unique, that this work has been done in unity between the scientist, who finds the technologies and solutions, and the companies who develop them,” said Innovation Fund Denmark´s Managing Director, Tore Duvold.

EUR 107 million for green research

If the Danish National Budget that is currently being negotiated is passed, the Innovation Fund will have EUR 254 million for investments in 2020. Of this, EUR 107 million are earmarked for green research projects against EUR 40 million in 2019. The 107 million EUR will primarily go to larger research collaborations between companies and public research institutions. But the Innovation Fund also invests every year in a large number of projects among entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized companies. In future, these projects must also have a green or climate-friendly aim, Tore Duvold explained the Danish newspaper Berlingske.

The work of the Climate Solutions Panel has been facilitated by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies.

About Innovation Fund Denmark

Innovation Fund Denmark invests in entrepreneurs, researchers and businesses that create value for Denmark and new solutions to society’s challenges. For example new climate mitigating solutions, healthier food, a more effective health care, cleaner environment, green transport, start-up journeys – and much more. Read more here.

Read the Climate Solutions Panel's "White paper on solutions to mitigate climate change and assessment of Danish strongholds"

Read the Panel's full "Catalogue of Plausible Solutions"

Recorded webcast of the Climate Solutions Panel's presentation session on 19 November, 2019

Source

Innovation Fund Denmark (in Danish)

Photo: Drew Beamer on Unplash.com